


Tokyo Phantoms

by JuneLuxray



Category: Danny Phantom, Persona 5
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Metaverse (Persona 5), Crossover, Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Gen, Not Phantom Planet Compliant, please be nice to me I had to work up a lot of courage to post this fic, the crossover no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:29:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 104,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuneLuxray/pseuds/JuneLuxray
Summary: After an accident in his parents' lab resulting in his and Morgana's becoming halfas, Ren Amamiya and Morgana are disowned and sent to Tokyo to be trained under Danny Phantom, a world-renowned hero. Strange mental shutdown events plague the city by the time they arrive, as well as people needing their help. A plot much deeper than they know underlie it, but with the help of new friends, they hope to face it.





	1. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this for myself for fun and then it ended up being 14 chapters long and that's just covering the Kamoshida arc. Oops.
> 
> It has been a long time since I wrote anything for DP. I'm admittedly VERY embarrassed to be posting this, so please, don't be rude.
> 
> If it is received well, I will post a chapter either weekly or biweekly on Sundays until further notice.

_"I think I left something in there. Do you mind going to grab it for me?"_   
  
_"But..."_   
  
_ "Don't be a pussy. We didn't raise a pussy."_   
  
_ He found himself in the dark, Morgana at his heel, as he picked up the wrench they had left in the portal. The boy paused to look around in the darkness before turning to see the entrance of the portal had disappeared. He was surrounded, enveloped in darkness. Morgana had disappeared, and he suffocated in the void._   
  
_ "Monster!"_   
  
_ "You're dead to us."_   
  
_ "Stay away from me! You're not my son."_   
  
_ The words echoed in the void, chilling him to the bone. "I-- I'm not a monster," he pleaded in the dark, "I'm not..."_   
  
_ Bright light came from behind him. He turned just in time to see the light explode, penetrating every cell of his body and blinding him as he screamed._

* * *

Ren Amamiya jerked awake, taking sharp breaths as he tried to regain his breath. His vision blurred briefly as he blinked repeatedly before steadying himself back in reality. His skin felt cold and he could feel sweat dripping down his forehead and the back of his neck. He blinked again, slowly, as he grounded himself.  
  
He was in a train. Light filtered through the windows unhindered and flickered as the train moved quickly. For a moment, other passengers gave him a mildly concerned look before going back to their business, ignoring him. The bag on his lap rustled, and Morgana popped his head out to give him a concerned look. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but couldn't.   
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today." a feminine voice came over the intercom as he turned his attention to the screen with subway lines listed._ "We will be arriving in Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop for this line. Please transfer here for all subway lines." _Ren silently looked away from the screens. _"The doors to your left will open."_  
  
Briefly, he found himself flashing back. Coerced to walk into the portal to pick up something his parents had dropped. Morgana had been at his heel meowing with great concern the whole time. Then they shouted something at him, but it had been drowned out by bright light and the worst burning pain he had ever experienced piercing every inch of his body. He had blacked out only to wake up surrounded by yeti-looking ghosts while he laid in a hospital bed.   
  
_"You are in the realm of the Far Frozen, in our hospital," a ghost explained, "allies of the Great One, though you know him better as Danny Phantom. You and your cat were delivered here by friendly ghosts who found you immediately after your accident."_  
  
_All the color drained from Ren's face, if there were any to begin with. "A ghost... so then... am I...?"_  
  
_ "You still live. The breath of life is within you." the first one explained. "But a ghost... yes and no. You and your cat have become like that of Phantom, bestowed with the greatest blessing that exists."_  
  
_ "Wha..." Ren blinked. "What do you mean?"_  
  
_ He had been shown a mirror moments later and beheld the truth. He had bitten back a sob before he spoke again._  
  
_ "Where's my mom and dad?" he demanded desperately._  
  
"What? Are you for real? A mental shutdown?"  
  
Ren was jerked out of his memories as he heard a girl's voice. He looked up to see two teenage girls in uniforms he didn't recognize standing near the door. Both seemed unusually excited for such a grim topic.   
  
"It's the truth!" the other girl insisted.  
  
"To a person, though?" The first girl scoffed. "That's gotta be a joke. You really love all that occult stuff, don't you?"  
  
The girls giggled even as the other one shrugged. "You never know. It could be a ghost doing this."  
  
"Never heard of a ghost attack in Tokyo before, though."  
  
A paw patted his arm, and Ren looked down to see Morgana giving him a silent look of concern. He mouthed an "I'm okay" and stood as the train came to a stop. Morgana tucked himself back in the bag as he exited the train and the station, walking into the vast streets of Tokyo as he walked into the sunlight, training his eyes on his phone.  
  
He paused momentarily as he took in the sight around him. Countless people walked in every direction, chattering about countless topics, just beneath the shadows of the skyscrapers adorned with giant screens and advertisements. The boy felt overwhelmed in the sea of humans... nothing like the small country town he had come from, where his parents privately worked as two of Japan's best ectologists.  
  
Well. _Were_ Japan's best ectologists.  
  
"Are you alright?" Morgana whispered. "You seem out of it."  
  
"Fine." he dismissed. "Keep your voice down."  
  
The cat huffed but obeyed, tucking himself back in the bag as Ren made his way through the crowd, back to another station for his next train to take him to what was supposed to be his new home.  
  
_"Yongen-Jaya,"_ the intercom announced as he exited the next train, _"this is Yongen-Jaya."_  
  
Ren stopped for a moment, inspecting the subway, bewildered. White and yellow tile rows decorated the walls in front of him, upon which sundry ads and screens rested. After a moment, he snapped himself out of his reverie yet again.  
  
"The train doors are closing. Please stand back. Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya."  
  
As he scurried to the way out to the backstreets, he could hear some conversations around him.  
  
_"No one has been taking responsibility. It's a waste of time to dwell on it."_  
  
_ "The police are so lazy... they're practically stealing our taxes."_  
  
_ "Things won't get better. That's because politics never change."_  
  
He wondered what 'it' was, but dashed the thoughts immediately as he felt the arm his bag was slung over suddenly go cold. Morgana yowled as the bag fell to the ground just as Ren's arm reappeared, but mercifully, it didn't seem as though anyone noticed as Ren hastily picked up the bag and apologized profusely to the cat within. He exited out into the streets and looked around the neighborhood warily. The houses and buildings were so tightly knit together that scarcely an alley stuck out between them, and their height darkened the neighborhood somewhat.   
  
_"Starting today, the Sakura family will be caring for me."_ he mused to himself internally. "_Their house should be in the backstreets of this residential area..." _He tucked his phone into his pocket and proceeded through the area. He glanced briefly over at a second-hand shop full of goods he was intrigued to look at, but restrained himself and kept going.   
  
It took only a few minutes of hunting with his GPS to find the Sakura house, where a delivery man stopped him.  
  
"Ms. Sakura is out, I hear," he said, "if you're looking for her husband, he's probably at the cafe he runs-- Leblanc."  
  
Ren thanked him and sheepishly turned back onto the main street. He used his phone to navigate himself to Leblanc, which was just down another street as he passed a grocery store, opposite a bathhouse. As he approached the door, he saw a man with a goatee, slicked back black hair, an apron, and a newspaper he was reading inside at one of the bar stools.  
  
Ren took a breath, and pushed the door open. A bell jingled as he opened the door, and saw only two other people inside: an elderly couple watching the television in the back.  
  
_"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it!" _a tabloid show host declared on the TV. _"The citizens can't live in peace if this keeps up!"_  
  
The man at the barstool didn't look up, his pencil still trained over a puzzle in the newspaper, but the old man at the table grunted and shook his head. "How frightening."  
  
"What could be going on?" the old woman added. "Didn't something similar happen just the other day?"  
  
He finally heard the man in the apron make a noise as he mused to himself. "Vertical is... the name for a shellfish used for farming pearls..." He glanced up and paused at the sight of Ren. His eyes widened. "... Oh, right." He tossed his newspaper onto the counter and stood up, placing a hand on his hip. "They did say that was today."  
  
"We'll be going now." the elderly man said as he and his wife stood up. "The payment's on the table."  
  
"Thanks for coming." the manager said.   
  
The old man smiled. "This place is in a back alley, so there's no worries of a car crashing in here." he remarked. The manager quirked an eyebrow at him.   
  
"A what now?" he questioned. The elderly man shook his head.  
  
"There's been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that none happen around here."  
  
"It's none of my concern." the other man dismissed with a shrug. The elderly man chuckled.  
  
"We'll see you next time."  
  
The door jingled again as they left, and the manager groaned and scratched the back of his neck. "... Four hours just for a single cup of joe." He looked up, back at Ren, with an expression Ren couldn't decipher. "So, you're Ren, huh?"  
  
"Yes, sir." Ren replied quietly, his shoulders tense. "Is Sakura-san here?"  
  
The manager nodded. "... Yeah." Finally, he smiled welcomingly. "I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in our custody for the next few years, if everything works out. I was wondering what kind of kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?" He stared at him for a moment, causing Ren to uncomfortably look away, down at his feet. The man sighed. "Listen, I know what you are. My wife is the researcher working for the bureau, but I'm in the loop well enough." He paused. "Have you been told? Custody was transferred to us because of my wife's job, and I used to work for the government. They figured we'd be able to handle a kid with your... special brand of weird."  
  
Ren cringed a bit, but nevertheless bowed to the man. "Thank you. For taking me in."  
  
"Don't mention it." He waved a hand forward. "Follow me."  
  
Sojiro ended up leading him up the stairs to the attic of the cafe, which was cleaned out. A futon rested in the back corner of the room on some boxes, underneath the window. There were a few shelves and tables that were bare of decoration, and a workbench sat opposite of the bed. A big, open space sat in the middle, with a few lights hanging from the rafters.   
  
"This," he declared, "is your room. We didn't have a spare room in the house, I'm afraid, but we figured you'd probably like having the bigger space and privacy anyways."  
  
Ren marveled at the room. "Wow," he remarked, "it's... _big_. Much more so than I expected, so... thank you."  
  
Sojiro shrugged. "You're welcome, but when you meet my step-daughter, you should thank her, too; she helped me clean this all out for you. Now, then..." He looked at the bag and at Ren. "Why don't you let the cat out? I need to have a talk with both of you."  
  
Morgana's head popped out of the bag, and he looked to Ren expectantly. Ren nodded and set his bag down, allowing Morgana to hop out with ease. The cat sat and licked a paw, then scratched an ear as he looked up at Sojiro. The man stared at the cat uncomfortably for a moment before clearing his throat and looking at Ren. "I got the gist of your situation. Your parents made you walk into a ghost portal they said was off, it wasn't, it went off, and now you're a... well, a--"  
  
"Half ghost." Ren said with a sigh. "For lack of better words..."  
  
Sojiro cringed and nodded. "Yeah... that." Ren reddened slightly, but Sakura-san just sighed. "Ridiculous... can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to even have their kid anywhere near a ghost portal, let alone _in_ it."  
  
"Sakura-san..." he muttered. "I..."   
  
"Anyways," he continued, "you don't have to be ashamed or hide your... issues adjusting from any of us. The only thing I ask is that you do your best to keep your abilities hidden from everyone else outside of us. This goes for the cat, too, and I know he can understand me." Sojiro briefly glanced at the cat, discomforted, and grunted. "I was told the... change affected his brain. As for him, no showing off either, and definitely no talking in public." Sojiro stared down at the cat. "You understand?"   
  
Morgana grumbled and huffed from Ren's side. "Understood." he grunted. Sojiro frowned somewhat uncomfortably and nodded, then shrugged.   
  
"My wife will be back in a about a week from a conference in America. Our daughter is... something of a shut-in, and she's a bit shy, but she'll warm up to you." He nodded. "Other order of business. The bureau will be giving me a time and place for you to safely practice and learn to control yourself soon. In the meanwhile, just try keep it in check, and try not to use your powers or transform here-- at least not downstairs. You should, however, be transforming at least once a day up here where no one can see you. My wife told me that you need to get your body used to it. Something about core stabilization or whatever; I'm not the ghost expert."  
  
"Understood." Ren muttered as he averted his eyes. Sojiro frowned.  
  
"I was told your parents had... unkind words for you, after what they did to you. You won't be get that treatment here, and I want you to forget everything they said to you." He sighed. "Anyways, I'll be taking you to Shujin Academy tomorrow-- your new school. They don't have any real details beyond you were taken from your household following the lab accident, and are suffering from balance and coordination issues, but not much else." He scoffed. "Barely anyone knows that half ghosts exist to begin with. _I _didn't know until I was told we were getting you. Anyways, make sure you're up on time."  
  
"Yes, Sakura-san." Ren promised with a bow. Sojiro turned to leave, though not without a pitying backwards glance.   
  
"Settle in and get some rest," he ordered, "dinner will be served soon."  
  
He left, and Ren stood in silence for a few minutes, his eyes scouring the room. After a pause, he stumbled towards his bed and sat upon it in silence, staring out as his mind drifted.  
  
He remembered the shock of searing, burning _pain;_ he remembered every painful detail_. _The days of pain and distress in the hospital. The government's scramble to hide him from the public eye while he was shunted around and questioned repeatedly as a case was built against his parents. Ren collapsed on his bed and covered his face with his hands, pushing back a moan and a muffled sob.  
  
There was shuffling, rustling on the bed, and he felt a paw be tapped on his arm gently. "Hey," Morgana spoke up, "Ren?"  
  
Ren blinked his eyes open and rolled his head over to look at Morgana. The cat swished his tail and walked forward. He sighed. "Yeah, Morgana?"  
  
"Your parents are wrong. We're not monsters." He rubbed himself against him. "We're _awesome._ Never forget that."  
  
The boy forced a smile and ran a hand over Morgana's head. "... Maybe you're right, Morgana."  
  
"I'm always right." the cat trilled. In spite of himself, Ren snickered, then paused, as his phone buzzed. He lifted it and saw a text from an unknown person with a cat head icon with shark teeth for a mouth. The name attached was Alibaba.  
  
_Alibaba: ~ヾ(・ω・) You're the halfa, right?_  
  
Ren jerked upward in surprise, and he stared in shock as another response quickly came.  
  
_Alibaba: Thought so. No need to be alarmed; I'm the daughter Sojiro was just telling you about._  
  
The name shifted into "Futaba Sakura."  
  
_Futaba: OwO So you're him, huh?_  
  
_Futaba: Not sure what I was expecting._  
  
Ren pursed his lips, then responded.  
  
_Ren: Sorry to disappoint? _  
  
_Futaba: Not disappointed. Just curious._  
  
_ Futaba: You even came with a halfa cat, too! Neat._  
  
_ Ren: Yeah... so, uh, you don't seem to mind my being..._  
  
_ Futaba: Nah. My mom is a ghost researcher. Ghosts are cool, man! Especially halfas, considering most people don't even know they exist._  
  
_Futaba: I think we'll get along just fine. __(￣▽￣)_  
  
Ren smiled softly.  
  
_Ren: Glad to hear it._


	2. Welcome to Shujin

Sakura-san had grumbled and muttered about having to drive him in the early morning to school, but none of the comments directly blamed him-- rather, the school. Ren nevertheless remained silent, trying to hide himself by making himself small. He avoided looking at anyone's eyes, and upon reaching the principal's office, he had to force himself to look up as Sakura-san nudged him.   
  
The principal of Shujin was a portly, very round bald man, who looked more bothered than anything. The woman next to him, who he had introduced as his homeroom teacher, was a skinny woman with brunette hair that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were marred with exhaustion, and she gazed upon Ren with curiosity and concern he could tell she was trying to mask.   
  
"There will be no funny business here at our school," the principal said, "are we clear?"  
  
Ren nodded. "Crystal clear, sir."  
  
The principal looked towards the teacher, who slid a plastic card towards him.  
  
"This is your student ID," she said, "keep it on yourself, because you need it to take out books from the library and purchase lunch."  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am." he said obediently. The principal hummed, pleased.  
  
"Good. Those are the sort of manners we expect from our students; keep behaving yourself as such and there will be no issues. We saw you were top of your class at your old school-- we expect you to keep performing as such."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"There's one other thing." Kawakami said, grabbing his attention. "You have been excused from PE and you will be spending that period with me as a teacher aide. Your teachers also have the discretion to exclude you from activities they feel would be too likely to result in injury for you or result in something being damaged. I'm sorry if this makes you feel excluded, but it's for your own safety. You're also strictly prohibited in all classes from holding anything fragile."  
  
Ren wanted to sigh, but again, he just nodded. "Yes, Sensei. Understood."  
  
"Excellent." the principal said. "You are dismissed."  
  
He turned on his heel with Sojiro and left without another word. 

* * *

  
"Well, that went... well." Sojiro said when they were out of earshot of anyone else in the halls. He turned to look at Ren with a frown. "How are you feeling about this?"  
  
"Fine." Ren replied noncommittally. Sojiro heaved a sigh.  
  
"Yeah, I would imagine you probably feel pretty anxious, given everything you've been through. Just remember to keep breathing, alright? And if you feel like you're going to slip up or whatever, try to run for a bathroom stall, even if you're in class. I won't punish you for running out of class if it's for that reason."  
  
"Yes, Sakura-san." he replied shyly. "Um... does Futaba go here, too?"  
  
Sojiro sighed and shook his head. "No, she's homeschooled. She has... issues with social interaction. We have a hard enough time as it is getting her to leave the house." He smiled slightly. "She seems like she likes you, though. Keeps asking about you. Maybe you might be a friend to her-- might help her learn to socialize with someone her age."  
  
Ren smiled softly. "I hope so."  
  
As they walked, Sojiro was silent a few moments longer, before speaking again. "You know, she's actually the reason why I ended up quitting working as a government employee," he explained, "she needed a parent to be close to home. So I opened Leblanc and haven't looked back." He sighed, looking guilty for a moment, then he shrugged. "Let's go. Traffic will be brutal otherwise."

* * *

  
Kawakami's mind was always occupied by work concerns, but as she left the meeting and walked across campus, her mind wandered back to her new student-- the recent survivor of a portal accident, one of only three (four if you counted his cat) in the world. He had seemed, she observed, very shy and quiet. She could feel anxiety practically radiating off of him, and she couldn't blame him; she felt nothing but pity for him and disgust for his parents. _How reckless they've been_, she mused to herself, _the poor thing...  
_  
She had heard of the other victims-- Vladimir Masters, a billionaire who had retreated from the public eye in the last few years, Daniel Fenton, an astronaut, and Amamiya's cat. No one knew how or why the cat survived, but Amamiya wasn't letting anyone near the cat. She supposed he didn't want to lose his last friend, and she felt envy for how loyal and loving the cat must be towards him to run after him like that. The most she knew of the physical impact following a portal blast amounted to severe clumsiness and loss of balance, as well as anxiety, paranoia, and depression. She had yet to see the clumsiness in action, but she could tell he was suffering.  
  
Kawakami was lost in her thoughts and almost bumped into Kamoshida in the quad outside. Kamoshida smiled at her warmly, in a way she always found somewhat unsettling, but never spoke of the feeling.  
  
"Kawakami," he greeted, his tone ostensibly curious, "have you met your new student?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes; he's very quiet and well-behaved; he seems like he'll be a good fit at our school. I don't foresee any issues with him."  
  
Kamoshida sighed. "I'm surprised the principal didn't think he's too dangerous to be here. There are too many unknowns..."  
  
Kawakami raised an eyebrow. "He just survived an ordeal most don't. He's a _lot _more likely to hurt himself than anyone else."  
  
Kamoshida shrugged and put his hands on his hips. "If you say so..."

* * *

  
"Traffic's not moving at all!" Sakura growled with irritation and a shake of the head. Ren flinched back a bit from his seat beside him. "You're taking the train, starting tomorrow." He looked over at a tense Ren and deflated a bit. "... So, how was it?" he questioned. "You think you can manage, what with your... your..."  
  
"I know." Ren said, sounding exhausted. "Eh, we'll see."  
  
Sojiro didn't say anything for a minute. He just grunted and sighed as he turned his head back towards the wheel. "Now, listen up. Don't even think of doing anything stupid." He turned his head back towards Ren. "No showing off. No theatrics. No heroics. You stay put and keep to yourself; we don't want anyone to find out what you are. Fenton says people are pretty dense and you shouldn't worry too much, but it's better to be safe than sorry."   
  
Ren turned away and hung his head, not bothering to respond. Sojiro was silent a moment before clearing his throat. He turned on the radio and immediately heard the voice of a newscaster._ "Again, a subway has derailed at Shibuya Station, greatly affecting the timetable all across the--"_  
  
Sojiro groaned and turned off the radio. "Another accident? So that's why it's so crowded. There's been a lot of those lately..."

* * *

  
By the time they got home, the sky was beginning to darken. Sojiro was greatly irritated as he unlocked the door and huffed upon entering the cafe. "Damn, to think there'd be that much traffic... what a waste of time. I wasn't able to open the cafe today..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Ren apologized, turning to him with an apologetic frown. Sojiro's frown softened.  
  
"This isn't your fault. I'm just annoyed, but you didn't do anything wrong. Just head upstairs. There's something I need to give you."  
  
The boy silently nodded and hurried upstairs, where Morgana was waiting on his bed. The cat had been sleeping curled up in a ball, but he picked his head up at the sound of Ren's footsteps.  
  
"There you are," the cat said with a yawn, "you guys were gone forever. Where have you been?"  
  
"Don't ask." Sojiro grumbled as he followed Ren up the stairs. He pulled his phone out to look up the accident and winced. "Talk about a gruesome accident... eighty people were involved."  
  
"I bet we could have stopped it if we were there." Morgana trilled proudly. "Maybe that's why we have these powers."  
  
"No!" Sojiro huffed. "No, no theatrics or heroics. Not unless Phantom-sama himself tells you he wants your help, and he probably won't until you're older and fully trained. Don't need either of you to draw unneeded attention to yourselves."  
  
Morgana huffed back and put his head down. "What's the point of superpowers if we're not using them for a good cause?"  
  
"Just because you have it doesn't mean you should use it for anything yet. Anyways..." Sojiro pulled a small journal from his jacket pocket and tossed it on the tabletop by the stairwell. "It's a diary. Make sure you write in it and record any particular incidents or accidents you have with your powers, and Morgana's, too. It'll help keep track of what your strengths and weaknesses are. We're obligated to report on you, which is why I'm having you do this."  
  
Ren nodded silently. Sojiro's phone buzzed, and he pulled it from his pocket, turning away from Ren. Ren couldn't make out whatever was being said, but he heard Sojiro respond. "... I'm about to leave right now." He paused and turned to Ren and Morgana. "Would you two like to come with me and have dinner? It'd be a good opportunity for you to meet Futaba, too."  
  
"If you don't mind."  
  
"If I minded, I wouldn't offer." He waved him along. "Come on, both of you."

* * *

  
When Ren walked into Sojiro's home, he took only a moment to take in the decor of the relatively plainly-decorated space before he spied a girl crouching in a dark stairway not far from the kitchen. She flinched back a bit at his gaze, and he frowned.  
  
"Futaba-chan?" he questioned softly. "Is that you?"  
  
He heard her mumble something, but it was inaudible. Ren shared a look with Sojiro, who just shrugged. Morgana strolled up by Ren's ankles and flicked his tail.  
  
"It's us," Morgana announced as the girl jumped, "the halfas."  
  
As soon as the cat finished speaking, the girl darted out of the stairway and knelt in front of Morgana, eyes wide with glee. She was a short, skinny girl with long, straight orange hair and glasses, with a pair of headphones hanging around her neck.   
  
"Oh my gosh, you really are a talking kitty!" she squealed. She reached out and squeezed his cheeks, ignoring as he grumbled and yowled in protest. "You're so cute, ghost kitty!"  
  
"My name is Morgana!" he protested as he sat up and pulled away from her grasp, ears twitching and flailing his front paws. "Petting is okay, but please spare my cheeks!"  
  
Futaba giggled madly as she stroked the cat's head, prompting him to purr as he butt his head into her palms. Ren merely stood back and watched the scene with a bemused smile as she cooed over the cat. After a few moments, she seemed to remember she was in the presence of another, and she pulled away from Morgana to stare at Ren in bewilderment. Ren blushed and cleared his throat.  
  
"Um... hi. I don't bite?"  
  
The girl huffed. "I would hope you wouldn't bite. Otherwise I'd have to kinkshame you for vore."  
  
His nose wrinkled. "Eww. I'm not gonna lie, I probably have something you'd kinkshame me for, but it sure as hell isn't vore."  
  
Futaba nodded. "I looked through your search history. You're right, buuut it's nothing illegal or super gross, so..." She paused. "Why are we talking about kinks?"  
  
"You started it."  
  
"No, _you_ did, 'cause you said you don't bite."  
  
"Kids," Sojiro groaned, "stop talking about that stuff. Please."  
  
Both went silent and shared a look before they began cracking up into mad giggles. Futaba managed a smile at him. "So... you're Ren?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," he replied with a nod, "your... adopted brother now, I guess. Thanks for not hating me off the bat."  
  
The girl's nose wrinkled. "Why would I? You're cool as hell. You're a real-life superhero and you could be my brother." She grinned. "As long as we g- get along, there's nothing more I could wish for." She paused for awhile. "Um... do you like Smash Bros?"  
  
He nodded. "I do."  
  
"Well... do you wanna go play Smash until dinner? Morgana can even join in, too, if he wants."  
  
Ren smiled. "I'd like that, just..." He cleared his throat and turned to his guardian. "Sakura-san, before I go to play Smash Bros with Futaba, would you like any help in the kitchen?"  
  
"No," the man replied back, "don't want you dropping anything or cutting yourself by accident. Go play with Futaba."  
  
Morgana hopped up Ren's shoulder and beamed. "Lead the way, Futaba-chan."  
  
The girl giggled. "Y- Yes, sir, Mona-chan!"  
  
Ren smiled to himself softly._ Maybe this won't be so bad._


	3. First Day

Ren felt anxious as he made his way to his first day of school.  
  
He felt his pulse quicken as he felt squashed between other commuters on the train, and it only quickened again as he saw other students in Shujin uniforms dash past him in the rain.  
  
_Keep it together,_ he told himself, _can't let anyone see..._  
  
He sighed to himself._ Just keep quiet, keep to yourself, and no one will notice you._  
  
Ren had found himself under a building, hiding from the rain, as he checked his phone for the precise directions to school. Morgana was grumbling in his bag, shaking his head. A girl he scarcely noticed in his anxiety passed by him and stopped under the same overhang to brush water and little leaves off of her coat, but she stopped short at the sight of Morgana's head poking out of the boy's bag. She raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" she spoke up, snapping Ren out of his reverie. He turned to look at her and found himself stunned, for a moment. She was a beautiful girl with bright, blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair in pigtails. She was wearing a Shujin uniform, too, and she smiled softly. "Can I pet your cat?"  
  
Morgana seemed fixated on her. He purred and bowed his head, and Ren chuckled. "Yeah, go for it. Seems like he likes you."  
  
The girl reached out and stroked the cat's head, prompting him to purr louder. She giggled. "He's so soft and cute! Is he a therapy cat or something?"  
  
Ren nodded. "Uh, yeah, but please, try not to bring too much attention to it to the other students. I'm trying not to make him too obvious."  
  
"Alright." She smiled and extended a hand. "I'm Ann Takamaki. You are...?"  
  
Ren shook her hand. "Ren Amamiya. I'm, uh, new around here."  
  
Her brows lifted and her eyes widened, but he didn't get a chance to inquire why. A car rolled up to the curb beside them, and the window rolled down, revealing a man with curly black hair, a large, square chin, and a smug smile that sent shivers down Ren's spine.  
  
"Hey, need a ride?" he questioned, eyeing the girl. "You're gonna be late."  
  
He noted the girl's demeanor change in an instant. She tensed and forced a smile. "Um, sure."  
  
She forced herself to walk forward to the car as the driver peered up at Ren. "Do you need a ride, too?" Ren jumped at the statement and quickly waved his hand.  
  
"Oh, no, thank you." he said. The man shrugged.  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
With that, the window rolled up, and just before they took off, Ren saw the girl had a distinctly sad frown on her face. He had little time to contemplate it as a boy charged past him, his shoes splashing against the rain. It was a blond boy with short hair, and he stopped a few feet ahead of Ren, grumbling to himself.  
  
"Damn it! Screw that pervy teacher..."  
  
"... Pervy teacher?" Ren questioned without thinking. He immediately wanted to kick himself as the boy turned to give him a quizzical look. The boy looked like a punk, wearing a distinctly non-standard uniform shirt that was bright yellow with a star and screamed_ ZOMG! _Ren wasn't one to judge, though.  
  
_"Especially not after the accident."_  
  
Morgana tucked himself back in the bag, and the other boy spent a second looking Ren up and down before walking forward with a scowl. "What do you want? Plannin' on rattin' me out to Kamoshida?"  
  
Ren blinked. "... Who?"  
  
The other boy's sour expression fell, and was replaced by puzzlement. "Huh? In the car right now, that was Kamoshida." There was a pause, and the boy crossed his arms. "... Wait. You don't know Kamoshida? Are you for real?" Ren nodded. The boy looked him up and down again, and his eyes fixated on the 2nd year button for a moment. "A second year... we're in the same grade. Never seen you before, though..." After another pause, something went off in his head, and his eyes widened. "Oh! Are you that kid who survived that portal blast that was on the news?"  
  
Ren raised a brow. "How did you know?"  
  
He shrugged. "There's been rumors that you were transferring to Shujin. You really are, huh?" Ren silently nodded, flushing. Ryuji smiled. "No need to be embarrassed. I'm just surprised is all..." He stared at him, and looked him up and down while Ren felt uncomfortable. The other boy stopped as Ren took a step backwards; he cleared his throat and looked back at Ren's eyes. "It ain't rainin' too hard. We don't wanna be late, so follow me; I'll show you the way."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The other boy nodded and started walking, and reluctantly, Ren followed after him, his head swimming. He yelped as his foot gave out, phasing briefly through the ground. Mercifully, it didn't seem like the other boy saw-- he just turned and grabbed Ren before he fell to the ground. He carefully pushed him back upright as Ren turned a bright red. "Sorry! I--"  
  
"No need to apologize," the boy grunted as he set him upright, "y'can't help it. Heard people like you have balance problems, right?"  
  
Ren forced himself to nod. "T- Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it."   
  
His cheeks were still red as he allowed the other boy to continue to guide him to school.   
  
"My name's Ryuji Sakamoto," the boy said as they walked through an alley, "there's, uh, a lot of rumors 'n shit about me, but none of it's true, okay? If you need help, lemme know."  
  
"T- Thanks." Ren remarked. "I'm Ren Amamiya."  
  
Ryuji nodded from ahead. "Nice to meet you, Ren. About Kamoshida-- that guy in the car-- he's the gym teacher and volleyball coach. Whatever you do, don't trust him. He's not a nice guy-- he's a pervert. He abuses his team. Try to steer clear of him."  
  
"Understood. Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Ryuji led them out of the alley, and lo and behold, Shujin stood in all its glory. Ren looked up at it and pursed his lips, and he felt his heart shudder as he saw how many other students there were. He silently followed Ryuji into the school, and up the stairs to the second-years' floor. Ren quickly spied Kawakami waiting outside a classroom, and he felt Ryuji nudge him.  
  
"I'm headin' to class," he said, "good luck with today. You see me, don't be afraid to say hi."  
  
Ren turned to smile at Ryuji. "Thanks, Sakamoto-san."  
  
Sakamoto waved him off with a smile. "Ryuji is fine." He grinned. "Later!"  
  
Ren turned back to Kawakami and walked up to her, where she waited expectantly as students filed into class.  
  
"There you are," she said with a sigh, "thanks for being on time." She frowned. "Was that Sakamoto I saw you walking with?"   
  
Ren nodded. "Yes. He offered to show me the way."  
  
The teacher paused, then sighed again. "That's nice, but... keep your distance from him. He has a reputation as a troublemaker." Ren nodded, knowing fully well to himself that he would do no such thing. He was snapped out of his reverie as the bell rang, and the students in the hallways emptied into their rooms. Kawakami pushed the door to her class open and gestured for him to enter. He walked in, eyes on the ground, trying to ignore scattered mutterings of confusion at the sight of him. Kawakami followed in after him and walked to the lectern, where she cleared her throat, and the class silenced. She turned to Ren.  
  
"We have a new student joining us today." She looked at him. "Would you care to introduce yourself to the class?"  
  
He nodded and forced a smile at the class. He didn't like the way they all stared at him. "Hi," he said, "I'm Ren Amamiya. It's a pleasure to be here." His voice wavered a bit at the end of his sentence, and he scratched the back of his neck. The other students just stared at him in disbelief, save for two: the blonde girl he had met that morning, who was sitting in front of an empty seat and smiling reassuringly at him. The second was a battered, bandaged blue-haired boy who gave him an intensely curious, wide-eyed look, and offered a meek smile as Ren's eyes trailed over him. He could hear whispers over the crowd.  
  
_"Oh, damn, is that the kid that survived that portal blast that was in the news recently?"_  
  
_ "Shit, it is him. I thought it was just a rumor that Shujin Academy was getting him."_  
  
_ "He's sorta cute."_  
  
_ "I'm keeping a distance; I hear the portal victims are clumsy as fuck."_  
  
_ "He's a fucking freak is what he is, surviving what he did. He should be dead like ten times over."_  
  
Ren flinched, reddened, and looked away, tucking his hands into his pockets self-consciously. Kawakami sighed with resignation and scanned the room before turning to him. "You can sit behind Takamaki-san." she instructed. She returned to the lectern and looked over her lesson plans briefly before looking back up at the class as Ren walked with Ann to the desk as he hugged himself nervously all the while. When he took a seat, he quickly had his eyes trained on his desk as he hunched over. Kawakami looked up and frowned. "Can someone please share your books with him today?"  
  
"What if he drops them?" the girl next to him whined. Ren flinched and scooted even further opposite of her. Ann turned to glare at the girl, who quickly averted her eyes, before she turned to Ren.  
  
"I'll share with you." Ann reassured.  
  
"... Thanks."

* * *

  
"Amamiya-kun, you'll be coming with me."  
  
Ren looked up as the bell rang and Kawakami stood at her lectern, looking tired.   
  
_"That's right,"_ he reminded himself, "_Kamoshida's class would have otherwise been next for me after homeroom."_ He recalled the gym teacher in the car that seemed to make Ann uncomfortable that Ryuji had derided as a pervert. He thanked the heavens for what small comfort he got in avoiding the man's class as he stood up after the others had exited through the rows of desks while Morgana hopped in his bag. Ren approached the lectern as Kawakami gave him a tired look before silently nodding him along.  
  
She led him to the faculty office and past a number of messy office desks until one particularly messy deck was reached, covered in stacks of textbooks, notebooks, and ungraded papers. Ren almost cringed visibly at the unkempt sight as she dragged over a spare chair to the end of the desk and plopped herself down in her chair before the desk. He stared at her in silence as she began sorting through papers, not addressing him, and he cleared his throat.  
  
"Can I do anything to help you, Ms. Kawakami?"  
  
"You can. Hang on." She pulled a stack of papers to the front of the desk and patted a hand on the pile before looking at him. "I need these graded. I have the answer key right next to it; don't feel pressured to get them all done today."  
  
"Alright," Ren said with a nod, "I can do tha--"  
  
Kawakami grunted as she lifted the stack up and placed the key on top of it. "Come with me," she continued, "back to the classroom. I'll have you start grading these while I teach the next period."  
  
The boy blinked. "I-- okay. Can I help you by carrying anything?"  
  
She quickly shook her head. "No!" she replied a little forcefully, turning the boy's cheeks red as he looked away. She frowned guiltily and deflated. "Sorry. It's nothing personal, I just..."  
  
"I understand." Ren said with a nod. "Lead the way, Kawakami-sensei."  
  
She quickly led him back to the classroom, and the two entered a few moments after the bell had rung. The students had been sitting and talking loudly, but quieted as the teacher and Ren came in. A few scattered whispers began picking up at the sight of Ren, who placed his bag (and Morgana) underneath the desk, though he was fairly certain Morgana had already dozed off in the bag. Kawakami set down the stack of papers on the teacher's desk near the front and turned to Ren. "You can have a seat there after I introduce you."  
  
Ren bit back a sigh. "Yes, Kawakami-sensei."  
  
The teacher approached the podium and cleared her throat, wholly silencing the class. "This is my new teacher aide, Ren Amamiya." She looked to him. "Do you mind introducing yourself, Amamiya-kun?"  
  
He sighed, cleared his throat, and nodded, looking out towards the class. He hated the gawking he was on the receiving end of. "Hello," he greeted, "I'm Ren Amamiya. It's my pleasure to be here."  
  
His eyes scanned the room as he tried to ignore subsequent whispering, only for a shock of yellow hair to catch his attention. His eyes flew to Ryuji Sakamoto, who sat near the back left corner and waved at him with a warm grin. Ren smiled and waved back at him.  
  
"Alright. Take a seat and get to work, Amamiya-kun. I'll begin lecturing." the teacher instructed. Ren nodded.  
  
"Yes, Kawakami-sensei."  
  
He focused on the paperwork, quickly moving through the stack of sheets as he consulted the answer key, grading them all. By the end of the period, he had finished his work and neatly stacked the graded work. When the bell rang, Kawakami finally looked over at him and did a double-take as she saw the finished stack.   
  
"Did you finish _all of them?" _she questioned, blinking. Ren nodded.  
  
"Yes, Sensei."  
  
She stared at him for a moment before breaking into a small smile. "Well... good work, and thank you. You've just reduced my workload more than you know. I think I'll like having you as a teacher aide." She sighed. "Too bad I can't keep you all day, but you should hurry along. I believe Ushimaru is your next instructor." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Word of advice, though you didn't hear it from me: Ushimaru is something of a... hard man. Just make it look like you're paying attention, be as concise as possible, and you'll be fine."

* * *

  
The rest of the day up to lunch was more of the same as his first period from the other students that he experienced in homeroom. Most of his teachers reacted to his presence amicably, or at least neutrally, in the case of Ushimaru, his social studies teacher. The other students gawked at him with a mix of curiosity, disbelief, pity, and a heavy dose of wariness. He had also fielded quite a few questions about his survival and the accident, which he deflected as politely as he could. Ren hated the attention, but knew all the same that the attention drawn to him would settle down eventually as he became a normal presence at the school. No one seemed to suspect anything, which gave him some small solace.  
  
Ren suffered a few incidents out of nerves during the day so far. He had tripped and crashed to the ground (unfortunately in the sight of onlookers, who to their credit, helped him up in spite of his utter mortification), and dropped his belongings a few times. As soon as he was turned loose for lunchtime, he made a beeline for the rooftop, where he could hide from everyone. His stomach grumbled, but he didn't feel like braving the crowd at the lunch line, so he ducked his head and moved. At one point, he felt his foot go intangible a moment too late, and he yelped as he crashed to the ground in front of the stairwell, leaving a shiny new bruise on his chin as he landed. He could practically sense others staring at him, and anxiously, he picked himself up and hurried away up the stairs.  
  
He pushed the door to the roof open, and shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun as his eyes adjusted to the sunshine replacing the morning rain. As his eyes adjusted, he blinked and belatedly realized the roof was already taken. A girl in a gym uniform with puffy chestnut hair, kneeling beside a trio of planters, was present; she was looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. Ren internally cursed and turned on his heel.  
  
"Wait!" the girl's voice rang out. Ren turned and sheepishly faced her as she stood. She smiled at him. "Are you the transfer student?" He nodded awkwardly and she waved forward. "You don't have to be afraid-- you can hide up here if you like. I don't mind."  
  
"Are-- are you sure?" Ren asked apprehensively. She gave an 'mm-hmm!' and with a small amount of reluctance, he turned away from the door and walked closer. He perched himself on a chair by an abandoned set of desks on the roof, averting his gaze. The girl cleared her throat, and Ren looked over. She was smiling reassuringly.  
  
"I know about your whole accident. I think it's wonderful you're here at our school; you're a unique individual and we're lucky to have you." she said warmly. "My name is Haru Okumura. You can talk to me if you want." Something fluttered in Ren's heart, and he smiled back. Morgana popped his head out of the bag, and the girl cooed. "Ooh, you have a cat? What a cutie!"  
  
Ren nodded. "His name's Morgana."  
  
Morgana purred as Haru stood, approached, and stroked his head as she cooed over him. "What an angel! Is he the cat you have that also survived the accident?" He nodded, and Haru bit back a squeal as Morgana pressed his head against her palm. "He's so precious!"  
  
They heard the door creak open, making them pause. Both turned to see a pair of blondes coming up: Ann and Ryuji.  
  
"There he is!" Ryuji said, relieved. He held up two sandwiches. "I heard some people talkin' about how you ran up here. I figured you didn't get anything to eat, so I brought you something."  
  
"I came because I thought you would be lonely." Ann admitted. A girl with a black ponytail and several bandages and bruises over her face and legs stood by her side with a smile. Ann gestured to her. "This is my friend, Shiho."  
  
"Hi!" Shiho greeted with a wave. "It's nice to meet you,"   
  
Ren's jaw almost dropped as they all came forward. He was stunned into silence at the warmth.  
  
"It's hard bein' the new kid, especially when you've got the shit you're going through," Ryuji said as he approached, "we figured you needed the support."  
  
A chorus of agreements rang out from the others. Ren blinked, then smiled weakly. "I... I don't know what to say. Thank you."  
  
Ryuji waved him off with a grin. "Don't mention it. Welcome to the outcast club, buddy."  
  
Ren laughed. "Is that what this is? I could live with that. Morgana, too." he said, patting his bag. Morgana hopped out and purred, headbutting Ren's hand. The girls cooed over the sight of the cat, who hopped down off the table to weave himself between all the girls' legs as they squealed and patted him. Ryuji just rolled his eyes.  
  
"I think the cat's enjoyin' this a little too much." He jumped as the cat turned and hissed at him. There was another brief silence, and then the girls snickered as Morgana returned to rubbing himself on their legs. Ryuji stared at the cat, eyes widened, and he frowned at Ren. "Does your cat speak Japanese or somethin'?"  
  
"Something like that." Ren said with a wry smile. He smiled as the girls fussed over the cat, who was still purring under their attention. Eventually, everyone calmed down and sat, eating lunch as Morgana enjoyed the spotlight. Ryuji finally spoke up again as they finished eating.  
  
"So, like," he cleared his throat, "I-- well, really, all of us-- know you're probably going through a _lot _right now. I mean, being dragged here away from everything you knew and... well, the aftereffects of the accident."  
  
"Ryuji, where are you going with this?" Ann questioned as Ren shrank back a bit. Ryuji sighed.  
  
"Just bear with me." He smiled at Ren. "What I'm getting at is-- I get this is probably really hard, yeah? I'm sure all of us here would be happy to help you out when you need it. Prolly too soon for you to feel like talkin' much about anything, but I and prolly them too are here for ya."  
  
Haru giggled and nodded. "That's exactly right. You don't need to feel obligated to do anything, but maybe we can be friends?"  
  
Ren blinked. Something tickled the corners of his eyes, but he fought it back silently. Part of him worried about so readily starting to let anyone make friends with him, lest they discover the truth, but as he looked at their reassuring smiles, something melted in his heart.  
  
He smiled back. "I'd love that."  
  
He did, really. But it didn't stop a bubble of fear from rising in his heart.  
_  
"What if they find out what I really am?"_


	4. Student Council President

At long last, Ren found himself free, and left his classroom as the bell rang with a great sigh of exhaustion and a stretch. He walked across the hall, out of the way, and contemplated the day.  
  
"More attention than I wanted," Ren mused to himself under his breath, "but overall, not bad. Met some people who seem nice enough. A few slip-ups, but nothing drastic."  
  
He was about to turn down the hallway when he saw two men, Kobayakawa and the tall man he had seen in the car that morning, standing several feet away from him, not far from the stairwell, while they conversed.  
  
"Why did you allow a student like him to transfer here?" he heard Kamoshida question with a shake of the head. "A student with a background like his... I don't believe for a _second_ that he was left untouched like his guardians claim he's supposed to be. _No one _walks away from what he did with just clumsiness." He put his hands on his hips. "At this rate, he could pose a danger."  
  
"Now, don't be like that..." the principal said with a shake of the head. "Whatever the truth may be, he does not pose a threat to you; he himself does not want attention. He will keep his head down and stay out of trouble. Besides, the government is giving the school a very generous grant for taking him in quietly..."  
  
"You don't find that suspicious?" Kamoshida huffed. "Why pay so much just to quietly take him in?"  
  
"It could just be so we attend to his needs and fix anything that breaks on his behalf; portal accident victims are clumsy, after all, and may need special assistance." Kobayakawa said with a shrug. "I think you're looking at this the wrong way, Kamoshida-kun. Think of it like this: your volleyball team will get a nice cut from that grant for anything you need, and you two can just avoid each other. He has been delegated to Kawakami-san to help her as a teacher aide instead of taking PE, so you will never have to interact with him, nor will he have to interact with you. Everyone wins."  
  
Kamoshida sighed and nodded his head. "Well... how can I say no to more funding to the volleyball team?" He grinned a grin Ren found unsettling. "Alright, I understand. Maybe we should just make sure someone keeps a very close eye on him while he's here."  
  
Ren watched in silence as the two men parted ways. Kobayakawa walked off back towards his office while Kamoshida headed upstairs to his. Morgana poked his head out of the bag and sighed. "Don't let them get to you, Ren." he chided. Ren sighed.  
  
"A danger, huh...?"  
  
"No, you're not." Morgana reassured, patting the back of his head with a paw. "Kamoshida is just scum."   
  
"I mean... that_ is _true..."  
  
"Exactly! So, put him out of your mind. Why don't we stop at the library before we go?" he suggested. "You like to read. Maybe we can rent a book."  
  
Ren shrugged. "Not a bad idea. Okay."  
  
"Maybe get something about Zorro or a gentleman thief... those are the good ones." Morgana added as he tucked himself back in the bag. Ren smiled softly and headed towards the library, doing his best to ignore anyone he passed.  
  
When he entered the library, he did so quietly in hopes no one would notice him. He perused the shelves until finding a book about a gentleman thief named Arsène Lupin. Morgana leaned over his shoulder and whispered to him to find a book for him, too; Ren managed to find a book,_ The Curse of Capistrano,_ placating the cat.   
  
As he went to check out, the student who was checking out his books gave him a wary stare. "Are you the transfer student?" she questioned, to which Ren apprehensively nodded. The girl paused and went to put an extra plastic cover over each of the books, much to Ren's chagrin. The look of disdain she gave him inspired anxiety and shame in him as she finally reluctantly passed them to him. "Be careful with these," she warned sternly, "we charge students for the full price of the book they borrow if they return damaged."  
  
Ren sighed. "I understand." he said as he balanced his books atop the notebooks under his arms. As he turned away from the girl and started to walk back towards the door, he felt his arms holding the books begin to dance with cold pins and needles. He cursed internally. "No, no, _no--"_ he hissed under his breath just before the books fell right through his hands. Everything fell with an unceremonious flapping of papers being knocked out of his notebooks and the books thudding on top.   
  
The halfa groaned lowly and reddened as he became keenly aware of the fact that people had turned to stare at him.   
  
_ "Yeesh, there's the walking disaster."_  
  
_ "They really shouldn't lend books to him. It's not his fault, but still..."_  
  
_ "A hundred yen says he drops those again before he manages to get out of the library."_  
  
_"A hundred yen says he drops those at least three more times before he even makes it to the train station."_  
  
Ren hung his head as he hastily moved to pick up his belongings. He heard footsteps approaching and braced himself for a scolding as whoever it was approached... only for the scolding to never come. He looked up in mild surprise as a girl with short brown hair and a braid headband with piercing red eyes-- not unlike his in ghost form, albeit not glowing-- knelt down opposite of him and helped him pick up his belongings. She gathered loose papers and handed them to him with a small smile.   
  
"Here you go. Are you alright?"  
  
Ren nodded, smiling back softly. "Yes, thank you; I appreciate the help. Sorry for the trouble."  
  
"It's no trouble." She stood and offered him a hand as he tucked his belongings under an arm, which he took after a second's hesitation. "I take it you're the transfer student?"  
  
He laughed weakly. "Yes, that's me. Ren Amamiya. Hopefully I shouldn't be so infamous when everyone forgets about it."  
  
"Oh, don't pay any of the gossiping students any mind," the girl said with an eye-roll, "they're just immature." She extended a hand to him. "I'm Makoto Niijima, student council president here at Shujin Academy."  
  
Ren's eyebrows raised as he reached a hand out and shook hands with her. "Pleasure to meet you, Niijima-senpai. Out of curiosity, do you know Sae Niijima?"  
  
The girl's brows also lifted. "Yes, that's my older sister. You know her?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes. She's overseeing the case against my parents."  
  
"I see..." The girl offered a smile. "I'll be sure to tell her I met you. If you have any further trouble around school or questions, feel free to ask me for help. It's my job as student council president and I want to make sure you're comfortable here. I understand being a transfer student can be quite daunting, especially given your circumstances."  
  
Ren's smile widened, and his eyes softened. "Oh... thank you, Niijima-senpai. That's very kind of you." He looked up at a clock on the wall and then back to the student council president. "It was very nice to meet you; I've got to run, but thank you again for stopping to help me."  
  
"Don't mention it; goodbye."  
  
He bowed briefly to her and exited the library, still smiling to himself. Morgana poked his head out of the bag with a smile of his own. "She seemed nice."  
  
"She did, didn't she?" Ren agreed. "Also, she's kind of hot."  
  
"Really? Compared to Lady Ann?"  
  
"Hey, don't compare the two; all women are queens. Drink your respect women juice, Morgana."  
  
"I'm not trying to put either down! I just think Lady Ann is so gorgeous..." He sighed dreamily. "I want to become a human so it's not weird for me to crush on her."  
  
Ren scoffed. "Well, we became..._ this, _didn't we? A cat turning into a human can't be too far off."  
  
Morgana gasped. "You really think so?!" His tail swished excitedly, and his ears pricked upward with excitement. Ren shrugged.  
  
"Maybe? Anyways, let's get home."

* * *

  
"Ah, you're back."  
  
Ren looked up as Sojiro looked up from behind the counter. The cafe was empty, for the moment, so he stood up straight and smiled. "How was your first day?"  
  
"Not bad." Ren said with a small smile. "Lots of kids talking about me, and that was pretty obnoxious, but I think I may have made a few friends."  
  
"He met a girl he thinks is hot!" Morgana chimed in. Ren turned to give the cat a death glare and shook his bag, resulting in the cat yowling. Sojiro laughed and put a hand to his chin.  
  
"Is that so? Good on you." His smile faded. "Just make sure you're careful, okay? You can't tell anyone what..."  
  
"I know." Ren said with a sigh. "I know too well. Hence why I said 'may have' made a few friends. Don't know how close I want to get to them."  
  
Sojiro didn't say anything for a moment before heaving a soft sigh. "Now, listen up. You _do_ need to be careful, but you can't push people away forever. I'm not saying you can't make friends or anything; all I'm saying you need to be careful around them, especially given your... situation."  
  
"Right." Ren said with a sigh. "Well, I'm gonna go upstairs and do my homework. If you need me, let me know."  
  
"Are you hungry now? I can whip you up some curry if you want."  
  
"No, I'm good for now. Thanks."  
  
"Well... I'm still going to call you down in an hour or two for dinner. Also, make sure you take time to transform at least once, back and forth, but make sure you turn back to normal before you come back downstairs." Sojiro ordered as he passed. Ren grunted.   
  
"I will..."  
  
As they made their way up the stairs and Ren set his bag down on the table by the stairs, Morgana hopped out and frowned at him. "You're not gonna transform, are you?"  
  
"Nope." he replied nonchalantly; Morgana sighed and propped himself up. With a flash of blue fire, a cartoonish-looking ghost cat was standing and stretching himself out.  
  
"It's gonna come back to bite you in the ass if you don't. You can't keep putting this off." he warned as he hopped off the table and up to Ren, who was settling his books down on the worktable across from his bed. The boy didn't look up; he just scoffed.  
  
"How so? Who's to say I can't just ignore it?"  
  
"Futaba's mom."  
  
Ren looked down at Morgana for a moment, pursed his lips, and looked back to his books. "Just... not today, okay? Not today."  
  
Morgana heaved a sigh and floated to sit on top of the desk. "Don't say you weren't warned, Ren."

* * *

  
When Makoto got home, Sae was nowhere in sight. The girl grumbled to herself; such a thing was common, so she shrugged it off and made her way to set her belongings down, shower, and begin preparing dinner for both of them. She wondered if Sae would even come home that night to sit down at dinner as she began preparing it, and soon enough, her mind drifted off to the boy she had met earlier that day in the library.  
  
Ren Amamiya. She had heard about him and been mildly curious, though her curiosity had been amplified when she saw him for the first time in the library. Makoto had been so wrapped up in her work that she hadn't noticed him until she heard a crash and fluttering of paper, and turned to see a cringing curly-haired boy staring down at his belongings. He flushed as he heard other students whisper and snicker at him, and Makoto immediately felt a pang of sympathy for him.   
  
She rose from her seat and approached him, and observed him up close. He was cute and innocent-looking as he gave her a mildly surprised look for her aid. A black and white cat poked his head out of his bag, observing the scene. She had heard about the cat, too, as the other survivor of his accident, but hadn't known he had accompanied the boy to school. She shrugged it off for a moment as she spoke to him. He seemed... dazed, somewhat, as he spoke to her, though she couldn't place why. His eyes widened when she mentioned her name.  
  
_ "Do you know Sae Niijima?"_  
  
Her older sister, it seemed, had been busy overseeing his case. _Perhaps that's why she's been so busy lately._  
  
Makoto was jerked out of her thoughts as the front door opened, and she looked up with the clicking of heels as her older sister walked in.  
  
"I'm home," she greeted, "what are you cooking?"  
  
"Just fish." Makoto replied. "How was your day?"  
  
"Busy, but it's settling down," she answered, "the case I'm working on should draw to a close this week. How was your day? Anything interesting happen?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes." She looked up from her cutting board. "I met Ren Amamiya today in the school library."  
  
Sae's eyes widened. "You what?"  
  
"Mhmm. He asked about you when I said my name." Makoto looked back to her cutting board. "I think it's wonderful you're working on his parents' case. He's a very sweet boy, from what I can tell."  
  
"He is." Sae said, relaxing back a bit. "That's right; I was told he was transferring to Shujin Academy. How did you two meet?"  
  
"He dropped his books. I heard other students gossiping about him and sort of making fun of him, so I decided to go help him collect his belongings. He seemed grateful."  
  
"Right..." Sae didn't respond for a moment, looking as though she was deep in thought before speaking again. "You didn't... see anything unusual before or after he dropped his belongings, did you?"  
  
Makoto turned to raise an eyebrow at her. "No... why?"  
  
"No reason." Sae dismissed. "It's... nice you met him. I can confirm he's a very sweet young man, but be careful around him."  
  
The younger sister frowned. "What? Why?"  
  
"Well, you know..." Sae shrugged. "He's... clumsy, and you know how boys are... he might be prone to tripping or crashing into you if he got nervous enough."  
  
Makoto shrugged. "I'll take my chances, Sis." She turned back to the cutting board, ignoring her sister's wince. "What should I make to go along with this?"  
  
"Anything's good." Sae muttered. "I'll be in the living room if you need me."  
  
With that, the elder Niijima walked off, and Makoto was left with more questions than she had before.  
  
_"What did she mean by seeing him do something unusual?"_


	5. Regrets

When he woke up, he could feel his core feeling... off. It felt heavy and tight, as if something was wrapping around his heart. Nevertheless, he ignored it as best he could and hurried to get ready for school. Morgana seemed to notice as he hopped into his bag, as his little cat nose wrinkled.  
  
"Your skin smells ectoplasm-y." he complained. Ren reddened and scowled.  
  
"So what? I'm a halfa, after all."  
  
"Ren..."  
  
"Don't worry about it." he dismissed as he headed downstairs, where Sojiro had already prepared him a plate of curry and a cup of coffee, and Morgana his own bowl of wet cat food. Sojiro gave him a funny look as he sat down at the counter.  
  
"Are you alright?" he questioned warily. "You have this... constipated look on your face."  
  
"'M fine."  
  
Sojiro looked unconvinced, but shrugged it off and sighed. "If you say so... but if you're really not feeling well..."  
  
"I know. Thanks."  
  
With that, he went off to school. Mercifully, it didn't seem as though anyone but Morgana noticed the faint, bitter smell of ectoplasm around him, and dismissed Morgana's observation as the side effects of a cat nose being more powerful than that of a human's. Nevertheless, he could feel the pressure still mounting on his core, but he pointedly ignored it and the mildly concerned looks he was getting now and then from onlookers. Ann had tried to ask him if he was alright, to which he politely (yet sounding strained) reassured her he was absolutely fine. He tripped and slipped more that day than the previous day, decorating his skin with a variety of bruises, but every time, he picked himself up and ignored his wounds pointedly.  
  
By the end of school, the impulse to change was becoming painful to resist. He only vaguely remembered most of what he was told about that day. Something about the branches of the government, something about a quiz in English next week, and something about... a volleyball tournament? Tomorrow, if he remembered correctly, but further attempts at retrieval of what had been discussed that day were... difficult.  
  
Every step sent a pulse of pressure through Ren's core, screaming at him to change as he exited his classroom. He was certain he looked funny as he walked forward, trying to will himself to hold it in. He was faintly aware of the blue-haired boy in his class and Ann, he thought, giving him concerned frowns on the way out. He ignored him pointedly and focused on the ground as he hurried away.  
  
"Ren," Morgana whispered, "you need to find somewhere to hide and change."  
  
"I can hold it back. I can. _I have to."_  
  
"You can't. The transformation is going to come very soon, whether you like it or not. You. Have. To._ Hide." _  
  
"Where, though?" Ren questioned, gritting his teeth. Morgana hummed nervously and scanned the hall before his eyes fell on a janitor's closet. He clicked his tongue.   
  
"There, in the closet!"  
  
"My parents didn't really care for my being bi... I don't think I'm quite ready to come out of the closet again. "  
  
_"Now is not the time for your jokes about coming out!"_  
  
Ren was so focused on getting to the closet he almost didn't notice as he bumped directly into someone. He stumbled back a bit before whoever it was steadied him by the arms.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" Ryuji's voice came. Ren looked up at him, eyes wide with fear, as Ryuji stared at him with a worried frown, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're not looking so hot..."  
  
His core pulsed again. Ren knew he didn't have more than seconds before he transformed in the middle of the hallway. In his panic, he jerked away from Sakamoto's grasp and bolted for the closet he had been focusing on, pulling the door shut as quickly as possible. He crouched down in the darkness of the closet, hissing as he held back the change best he could, lest someone come into the closet.   
  
"Ren-- Ren, you're losing this fight. You have to change." Morgana hissed. "Ren--"  
  
"J- Just a minute," Ren gasped, "a minute so-- so I'm sure Sakamoto doesn't burst into here looking for--"  
  
He nearly jumped out of his skin as the door was pulled open, and light from the hallway flooded in through open corners where the person who had opened the door's shadow wasn't blocking. The scare finally pushed Ren over the edge-- he let out a frustrated cry as the blue fire of transformation took him, transfiguring him into his ghost form. As the light faded, he was left with curly white hair, glowing red eyes, a domino mask, and a gentleman thief's costume, the one he had been in during his accident (he cursed the fact he was going to act in a play right beforehand). A soft glow settled over his body.  
  
As the light settled down, Ren was left panting from the release of pressure. There was a dead silence over the closet, save for the creaking of the door closing and heavy breathing from its inhabitants.  
  
Ren was fully aware of the fact he had just transformed in front of an interloper, but found himself too afraid to look up. The interloper stammered for a moment before numbly reaching for the light switch, turning the lights on to fully expose Ren in his ghostly glory. Morgana moved to stand between the two defensively, his back arching as he hissed at whoever had followed him in.  
  
"Wha... what the... what the _hell?!"_ the intruder loudly sputtered in disbelief. "R- Ren...?!"  
  
He knew the voice.  
  
_Sakamoto.  
_  
Sakamoto had seen him transform.  
  
_Sakamoto knew._  
  
Ren cursed himself internally. Two days in, and someone knew his secret._ I am so fucked._  
  
"... Please don't hate me." Ren managed to squeak out shamefully. "Please..."  
  
He couldn't look up as he pleaded. The shame and mortification were too strong as he hunched over, pointedly avoiding looking up. Sakamoto made a confused noise.  
  
"W... what the hell is going on?" he demanded, still loud and confused. "And why would I hate you?"  
  
Ren looked up sheepishly as Morgana moved to lock the door. Ryuji was gawking at him, wide-eyed and stunned, hands twitching. He hated the look of utter shock and disbelief he was on the receiving end of as he scrambled to his feet and hugged himself, cringing all the while.  
  
"Please calm down," he pleaded, "and keep it down! I'll-- I'll explain if you promise not to freak out on me!"   
  
Ryuji stared at him for a few moments before swallowing and nodding. "What... what _was_ that? What _are_ you?" Ryuji questioned, voice shaking and wavering in volume. "You... your _clothes, _your hair, your eyes_.._. those flames... and you're glowing and you look so _different..."_  
  
Ren felt the world spinning. He felt as though he was going to vomit. He leaned back dazedly as he began to hyperventilate.  
  
_"Fuck fuck FUCK I am so FUCKED he's probably going to tell everyone FUCK--"  
_  
"Ren! C'mon, breathe!"   
  
The command came as Ryuji steadied him by the arms. Ren looked at him, eyes welling with tears as Ryuji frowned with great concern. "It's all okay! Just-- just breathe and explain!"  
  
Ren forced himself to breathe, his throat burning at the inhalation of various cleaning agents lining the closet walls. He coughed and bit back a sob.  
  
"You can't tell anyone. Please, you _can't--"_  
  
"I won't! I promise!" Ryuji reassured. "Please, just-- just calm down so we can figure this out."  
  
Ren swallowed hard and nodded. "O- Okay." He looked over Ryuji briefly before continuing. The boy was still grasping him gently but firmly by the arms and frowning, though still not with fear or disgust-- merely confusion. Ren gulped. The word was on the tip of his tongue, but he found himself paralyzed with fear.  
  
"Ren," Morgana spoke up, shocking Ryuji as the boy jerked back from Ren to gawk at the cat, "I think it's okay."  
  
Ryuji looked between Ren and Morgana, sputtering. _"The cat's talkin'?!"_  
  
Ren nodded. "He... he did. Because he's like me. I... I'm..." He hung his head. "... I'm half ghost, or a halfa, for lack of better words. The portal did this to us. It infused our DNA with ectoplasm, unfortunately turning me into the... thing you see. We're basically... I don't know. I think still living beings but with ghost powers." He shrugged. "I... I know this is really weird, but please,_ please_ don't freak out on me or tell anyone."  
  
Silence filled the closet for a moment as Ryuji's wide eyes darted between the two halfas.  
  
"Holy shit... for real?"he finally breathed, stunned. Ren nodded silently. Ryuji said nothing for a moment, then beamed._ "Badass!" _  
  
The halfa's eyes shot open, and he picked his head up to stare in shock at a suddenly-excited Ryuji, who gazed at him with awe."You and Morgana-- you're--"Ren nodded. "No_ way." _Ryuji breathed. "You're--" He looked at Morgana. "And _you_\-- you're both really-- this is for real? I'm not dreaming?" He laughed dazedly. _"Wow._ Just... _wow." _He turned to Ren. "But... whaddya mean 'unfortunately'?"  
  
Ren frowned. "Look at me!" He gestured to himself. "I can't even control my transformations, and I look like this! I lost everything because of this!"  
  
Morgana huffed. "You brought this on yourself, Ren. You refused to transform willfully for a week when Phantom said you have to do this a few times a week when new to being a halfa." He looked at a still-stunned Ryuji. "Ren lost control of his transformation solely because of that. He's rejecting his powers and what he is out of shame, and he was fighting the transformation hard. He ultimately lost the fight."  
  
Ren groaned. "This is so embarrassing..." he whined as he looked away from the other boy. Ryuji frowned.  
  
"H- Hey... it's gonna be okay. I'm not gonna tell anyone." He sighed. "The only reason you're messin' up is because you're not used to it, right?" He offered a reassuring smile. "It-- this is like runnin', yeah? Y'got to keep doing it before you get better at it. Being ashamed just ain't healthy..." He paused and turned to Morgana. "Did you mention Phantom? As in, Phantom-sama?"  
  
Morgana flinched. "Uhh..."  
  
"Is Phantom-sama like you, too?" Ryuji questioned, stunned. "Everyone says he's a lot more human-like than most ghosts, yeah? So-- so it'd make sense." His eyes glittered with curiosity as he grew loud with excitement. "And he's helping you? That's so--"  
_  
"Ryuji." _Ren pleaded quietly. Ryuji deflated immediately and scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"S- Sorry. One thing at a time, right?" He looked Ren over again and sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Jeez, this is..._ wow._" He was silent a moment as he scratched the side of his head. "Okay. Um, let's go get some food, and we can talk about this some more. You'll feel better once you eat."  
  
Morgana and Ren shared a look. Ren took a breath, closed his eyes, and willed the transformation back to human. Ryuji jumped back a bit from the flash, and blinked a few times at the now-human transfer student who was looking at him sheepishly. Morgana hopped up, climbing up his leg and arm and propped himself up on Ren's shoulder.  
  
"Lead the way!" the cat ordered. Ryuji snapped out of his reverie, stared at the cat for a few moments, and finally nodded dazedly, a yard-long stare in his eyes.  
  
"Y- You got it."

* * *

  
Ryuji had ended up leading him to a ramen shop. Ren was grateful for it, and helped himself to a bowl of ramen. Ryuji got himself a beef bowl, and Morgana got a la carte strips of fish from the manager, who had noticed the cat, but instead of shooing the boys out, had cooed over the cat's cuteness and asked Ren if it was a service animal. Upon his confirmation, he brought out the fish that Morgana was now gorging himself on. Ren himself hadn't realized how hungry he was until he started eating, and was halfway through his bowl in moments, and stopped only when Ryuji spoke up.  
  
"So," he said casually, "you and Morgana, you're both, uh... you called what you are _half ghost_, right?"  
  
Ren jerked, and Morgana hissed._ "Not so loud!"_ the two snapped in unison.  
  
The other boy went red in the face and frowned, and when he spoke, his voice had lowered to a whisper. "Oh, crap, sorry." He took a bite from his beef bowl. "Anyways," he said, speaking with a full mouth, "what's that like?"  
  
Ren hesitated for a moment. He shrugged. "It's... weird."  
  
"Yeah, I bet." Ryuji gulped his food. "Are you, uh... adjusting? I- I mean, aside from today's... thing."  
  
"As best I can." Internally, Ren wanted to scream. He wanted to scream about how much it sucked, how much it had cost him, and how much he hated it, but he bit his tongue. His stony facade was broken for just long enough, though, for Ryuji to see a brief flash of distress over the boy's face. Ryuji's eyes softened.   
  
"H- Hey, man... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be pryin'. I just figured... you might like having someone to talk to about it." He smiled and shrugged. "All I'm sayin' is... I may not know how you're suffering, but I know what it's like to be... different." He scoffed. "I mean, not anywhere near the level of 'different' you are, but--" The boy reddened as Ren shrank back. "I mean-- shit, I don't mean it as a bad thing, I just--"  
  
"It's okay." Ren said with a sigh. Ryuji cringed.  
  
"Sorry. I'm-- I'm trying to be supportive, but... I'm still a little shocked, I guess-- not that there's anything wrong with-- I mean--"  
  
"Let's move on..." Morgana piped up, speaking just loud enough on Ren's lap for the two boys to hear. "What happened to you?"   
  
Ryuji shrugged and averted his eyes shamefully. "My dad... when he was around, he was drunk and beating or talking shit to me and my mom. Kamoshida found out and told the entire track team, which is when I lost it and punched him. He broke my leg and closed the track team. I'm now the 'track traitor' 'cause of it... everyone treats me like a delinquent."   
  
"... Oh." Ren paused. "I'm sorry to hear that. For what it's worth, Kamoshida deserved that punch."  
  
Ryuji laughed dryly, weakly. "Yeah, he did... but I wouldn't have done it if I knew it'd take out the entire track team. They didn't deserve to get punished for what I did." He cleared his throat and looked back at Ren. "We're getting off-topic. My point is, we outcasts gotta stick together, alright? I don't mind what either of you are, and don't let anyone tell you there's anything wrong with you, okay? It's pretty cool, actually."  
  
"C... Cool?" Ren sputtered, eyes widening. Ryuji grinned.  
  
"Hell yeah, it's cool. You can fly, you can walk through walls, go invisible, you even have a secret identity... you're basically a superhero, yeah?" He laughed cheerfully. "It's effin' _awesome!"_  
  
"Easy for you to say..." Ren muttered. He shook his head and smiled weakly at Ryuji. "Thanks for saying that... I wish I could be that enthusiastic about it."  
  
Ryuji frowned. "Is it the fact you're messin' up sometimes? That's nothing; you'll get used to your powers in no time. If it's about the people at school, eff 'em, dude, they don't know you."  
  
"It's not that." Ren paused. "Well, those are part of it." The urge to divulge hit him again, and Ryuji frowned.  
  
"I mean... I'm real curious to hear about your past, but... do you _want_ to talk about it?"  
  
Ren looked at him. He contemplated the matter-- he was no doubt already in deep shit for having someone find out (he knew the bureau would be pissed if and when they found out), and was about to decline, but he looked at Ryuji. The boy's eyes were soft and concerned, and for the first time in months, he felt... safe about talking around anyone other than Morgana. _"This could go very badly if he goes to the news with this. Am I sure I want to do this? Plus I've only known him for a day or two..." _he thought to himself, pursing his lips. At the same time, a yearning in his heart to talk to someone cried at him to speak, borne of a pained silence, and ultimately, it won out. He exhaled quietly, and nodded. "... If you won't tell anyone."  
  
"Cross my heart and hope to die." Ryuji promised as he put a fist to his chest and nodded. After another moment's hesitation, Ren jumped into the story.

* * *

_  
_"It's done."  
  
Ren's father made the announcement with great pride as he pulled away from welding the last piece of the doorway to the massive portal he and his wife had built beneath their house. Ren had been dragged downstairs for the affair, and he stared wordlessly at the massive project that had caused both his parents to practically forget he existed for the last two years. Morgana, one of his few friends during that whole time, a gift from his parents to keep him company, stood between his ankles, staring warily at the portal.  
  
It was similar to the famous Fenton portal, but cleaner and more elaborate. A giant circular archway was built into the wall, leading into a well-lit tunnel with clean, cold metal walls and a small, dark hole at the end that had wires pouring into it from all directions.  
  
Ren forced a smile.  
  
"It's... beautiful." he said, feigning joy. His mother nodded, not looking up.  
  
"Isn't it, though?" she agreed. "Wait until the Ghost Hunting Bureau sees our work... a ghost portal take takes only a fraction of the electricity the Fenton portal did to power up and maintain. Far more efficient than those American ectologists' creations. We could get a Nobel Prize for this!"  
  
Ren nodded.  
  
"That's... great. Thanks for showing me." He cleared his throat and looked down at himself-- still in costume, ready to go act in the play he was supposed to for his high school's drama club. A gentleman thief, he was supposed to be, in an play his parents would no doubt say they were too busy to see. "I appreciate it, but I have to get going. I'll be late for my school's play otherwise."  
  
"Hang on," his father urged, "don't you want to see us power it up?"  
  
Ren pursed his lips. "Aren't you supposed to wait for Bureau scientists to be present tomorrow? You know, for safety reasons?"  
  
He waved him off. "What they don't know won't hurt them; we'll just turn it right off after and no one will be the wiser. Plus, we can ensure it works so we don't embarrass ourselves in front of the bureau."  
  
"Well... thanks, but no thank you." Ren insisted. "I_ really _have to get going, or I'll be late."  
  
"It'll be worth being a little late for this." his mom insisted. "Very,_ very _few people ever get to watch a portal come to life. If you're going to be a ghost hunter one day--" she ignored his grimace and eye roll-- "--this will be a great opportunity for you to watch and learn."  
  
He sighed. "Alright. But as soon as it's on, I need to go."  
  
"And that's fine. Just stay for this." His mother approached a computer a few feet away from the mouth of the portal, and tapped a bit at the screen before pausing and frowning. "Hang on... looks like we left a wrench in there. Might cause issues if we don't take it out before we fire it up." She looked at her son. "Ren, be a dear and pick it up for us, will you?"  
  
He shook his head. "Uh... are you sure that's a good idea? What if it comes on while I'm in there?"  
  
"It's off now. It's fine." his father dismissed.   
  
"But..."  
  
"Don't be a pussy. We didn't raise a coward."  
  
Ren swallowed hard. He stared inside the portal, eyed the wrench, and nodded. He inhaled sharply and walked in briskly, intending to pick it up and hurry out as fast as possible.   
  
He heard Morgana trailing after him and cursed to himself._ Of course they couldn't be bothered to keep the cat from following me into danger._ _Assholes._  
  
The boy picked up the wrench and bounced it in his palm as he turned around. He looked down at Morgana to see the cat had frozen up and stared at the back of the portal. Gut wrenching, he turned to see a bright green light emerging from the back of the portal. He only caught his parents screaming at him to run out for a split second before the portal came to life.   
  
He froze. While his body erupted into worst burning sensation he had ever felt in every cell of his body, he was unable to scream; his muscles shuddered and contracted violently, and he couldn't breathe. His chest began to hurt, as if knives were stabbing every cell of it, and he felt a heavy pressure settle upon it. In what felt like an eternity, the pressure morphed into blistering cold, and extended outward from his heart, causing a painful, frigid sensation while the storm raged outside, still burning his skin.   
  
After a painful few seconds, Ren was finally able to regain control over his throat as the cold reached his neck, and he screamed bloody murder. Behind him, he could hear yowls of agony warping into uncannily human-like screams.  
  
The burning on the outside began to cease, but the cold began to penetrate his skin, replacing the burn with freezing pain. It washed over him, and as he felt a strong _whoosh_ of air around him, as if he was being thrust into open air. Something flew into him from behind, and he gasped as his skin roared in agony from the brief pressure.  
  
His eyes fluttered open blearily, and he gasped in spite of the pain as a dark green and black space littered with floating doors expanded before him in all directions. Several ghosts had stopped and floated a short distance away from him, gawking at him in shocked silence.  
  
"R- Ren?" an unfamiliar voice came, like that of a young boy's. "Where-- where are we?" Ren turned to see a cartoonish-looking bipedal cat with a large head gawking at him, eyes in pain and exhausted but self-aware. "What happened?"  
  
Ren dazedly looked beyond him to a swirling vortex, and reached for it, pushing his front half in. He gasped deeply for air as he pulled himself back in the human world. He blinked rapidly from the sudden glare of florescent lights, and crawled along the floor into the lab as he panted with pain from the effort.  
  
_"Monster!"_ he heard his father shout, and he looked up in open confusion as his father stared at him in utter disgust.   
  
"D- Dad? Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"You're dead to us." he snarled. "No son of mine can be a-- a half ghost _abomination_ like Phantom!"  
  
_"W- What?" _Ren sputtered in disbelief. He turned and looked up at his mother, who was backing away from him. "Mom--"  
_  
"Stay away from me!" _she howled. "You're _not _my son!"  
  
Tears began to well in his eyes, and he reached out helplessly one last time before something grabbed him by the ankles, still inside the Ghost Zone, and pulled him back.   
  
"Someone go find Phantom, he'll know what to do!" he heard an echo-y voice cry, albeit garbled as he began to slip into darkness.   
  
"I never thought we'd see the birth of another halfa, much less two." another echo-y voice muttered. He had little time to contemplate the comment before darkness consumed him, and he knew no more.

* * *

  
When he awoke, it was with pain that made him feel like he had been hit by a succession of trucks, followed by a steamroller. He moaned, wincing before he could open his eyes as he grimaced. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes from the pain. He could hear various machines beeping around him and felt something stuck into his arm, and some clips over his fingers. He felt a mask-- likely a breathing mask, he noted-- over his mouth. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open-- only for him to jump in shock at the sight of what appeared to be a high-tech hospital room staffed by glowing... abominable snowmen-like ghosts. All of them towered over him, and all looked at him, bewildered, as he flailed.  
  
"Be calm," one of them pleaded, "you are safe, child. None of us are here to hurt you."  
  
He winced and settled back in the bed, the pain disabling him too much to question their motives. He moaned in great pain and frowned. "W- Where am I?! And who are you people?"  
  
"You are in the realm of the Far Frozen, in our hospital," a nurse explained, gingerly reaching forward to pull his covers back up, "allies of the Great One, though you know him better as Danny Phantom. You and your cat were delivered here by friendly ghosts who found you immediately after your accident."  
  
All the color drained from Ren's face, if there were any to begin with. "A ghost... so then... am I...?"  
  
"You still live. The breath of life is within you." the first one explained. "But a ghost... yes and no. You and your cat have become like that of Phantom, bestowed with the greatest blessing that exists."  
  
"Wha..." Ren blinked. "What do you mean?"  
  
None of them said anything for a moment. One of the smaller ghosts approached him and gingerly reached for one of his hands, grasping it with great care. "You have been... changed. Both of you. You have become something more powerful, something wonderful. You may not believe us at first, but... we are here to help you."  
  
"Get to the point." Ren snapped, scowling as sweat dripped down the back of his neck. "What happened? What am I?"  
  
There were shared looks. One of the doctors reached for a hand mirror and extended it forward; in spite of his pain, Ren reached for the handle and grasped it, pulling it to his face-- and almost dropped it in shock. A stranger with creamy white hair and glowing red eyes greeted him, who he stared at in abject, silent shock for several long moments.  
  
"You are a half ghost," the one still clutching his other hand finally said, "like Phantom before you."  
  
Ren continued to stare at the mirror in silence before while his hand holding it trembled. Tears prickled at his eyes. The doctor who had handed the mirror to him took it before the boy dropped it. He began to hyperventilate.  
  
"Where's my mom and dad?" he begged, throat raw. "Where are they?"  
  
"Child--"  
  
_"Where are they?!"_  
  
"They are blinded by ignorance." the nurse clutching his hand finally explained, "You do not wish to see them. Phantom ordered us to surrender them to the human authorities from your home world. I-- I know this must all be a shock, but I promise that--"  
  
No more words could help him at that moment, and everyone in the room knew it as he broke into sobs.

* * *

  
The weeks following the accident had been fraught with despair and anxiety on Ren's part, tempered partially by an ecstatic Morgana, who happily bounced about in his new, cartoonish form. The two had, as it had been revealed by Morgana speaking his first words, been connected during the accident, and somehow, Ren's intelligence and knowledge had been copied to his beloved cat, who celebrated his newfound abilities and knowledge.   
  
Several weeks after his admission to the Far Frozen hospital, he was released alongside Morgana. The week after that had the two of them being bounced from location to location by the frantic Japanese bureau of ghost activities as a court case against his parents was being assembled by a silver-haired prosecutor named Sae Niijima, who had been referred to the case by the district attorney. In spite of the sheer weirdness of the case, Niijima handled it with nothing but stone cold professionalism, barely even batting at eye at the new halfas. Ren and Morgana met with her almost every day as she asked him and Morgana questions upon questions; he kept mental track of all the charges she was building against them. Child endangerment, child neglect, child abuse, child abandonment, turning on a ghost portal without a permit, property damage, obstruction of justice, arrest evasion, animal abuse, animal abandonment... the list went on.  
  
Finally, one day, when she called him in, he realized something was deeply wrong as her eyes were full of pity.  
  
"Your parents are voluntarily surrendering all parental rights." she said as calmly as possible. "You're going to be sent to a family in Tokyo that have been informed about your circumstances. You'll be under the care of one of the bureau's scientists, Dr. Wakaba Sakura, and her husband, Sojiro Sakura. They have a teenage daughter named Futaba, and are capable of caring for another child, even one with your... abilities."  
  
Ren's heart sank.  
  
"... They're disowning me, aren't they?"  
  
Prosecutor Niijima stared at him for a moment, nodded, and sighed deeply. "... I didn't want to say it outright, but yes." She frowned. "I am sorry, Amamiya-kun. I know this must be difficult for you, but it will be for the best." She scowled. "Even _before_ this, your parents were neglectful and recklessly put you in danger, almost costing you your own life. They have proven they are unfit to care for you, and I want you to have no further contact with them."  
  
He nodded, dazed, as he barely held it together as he thanked her, bowed his head, and left quickly as he could. 

* * *

_  
"WHAT?!" _Ryuji cried, shaking with rage. "How_ could_ they?!"   
  
Ren flinched as people around them glanced his way. "Dude-- dude, we're in public."  
  
Ryuji deflated only slightly, still shaking as he teared up. "That's such_ bullshit,_ though!" he cried. "They put you in danger, and then had the_ nerve_ to disown you?! You didn't even do anything wrong! This is all _their_ fault and they treated you like shit for it!" He slammed his bowl to the table top, making Ren flinch and Morgana hiss. Ryuji finally calmed as he saw Ren shrink back. Ren just shook his head shamefully.   
  
"I'm dead to them. I've been turned into a_... I don't know. _Something I can't ever change. I'm stuck like this forever." He sighed again and looked away. Morgana, however, looked up warily at Ryuji to judge his reaction. The blond boy's face went through several emotions at once-- pity, guilt, and rage. Ren finally looked up again when Ryuji reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Listen to me. Your parents are idiots. They're sick, evil bigots, and you should try to forget everything they said." Ryuji said as calmly as he could. "Phantom-sama ain't a monster. Morgana ain't a monster. _You're _not a monster._ None_ of you are. You're just... a kid like me, huh?"  
  
"A really freaky kid."  
  
"Shuddup, you're just... different." He smiled. "And different's good. Maybe you need a friend to help you with all of this, huh?"  
  
Ren shook his head. "I mean... I would love that, but I don't want to be a burden."  
  
"You're not." He grinned. "It's really cool, dude. I'm more than happy to help you with this, plus you're one of the only other people at the school who's willing to give me a chance. Who sees I'm not just some delinquent. So... think of it as returning the favor. And I promise, my lips 're sealed. I won't tell anyone."   
  
Ren hesitantly examined him for a moment. Ryuji was smiling sincerely, warmly, and Ren couldn't detect any malice or deceit from him. _"Well, I'm already in this deep with him..."_ he internally mused. Finally, he sighed, and managed a small smile back. "Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it. Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on, Ren-Ren." He grinned as Ren flushed at the nickname, then glanced at Ren's bowl and frowned. "Dude, what the hell? You barely touched your food." He reached for the ginger and began plopping some on his food. Ren's nose wrinkled, and he shook his head.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Aw, come on," Ryuji urged, "you gotta eat more! There's tons of ginger here. Look, Mona-Mona--"  
  
"--it's _Morgana--"_ the cat hissed irritably. Ryuji ignored him.  
  
"--ate all of his food. You've got to be hungrier than that."  
  
"He's got a point." Morgana whispered. "We halfas need to eat more than an average person to sustain our hearts and cores. You should eat."  
  
Ryuji's eyes widened. "Oh, shit, really?" He frowned at Ren's food. "Maybe we ought to order you another bowl, then."  
  
"No, no, it's okay," Ren reassured, face reddening, "at least let me finish this one first..."  
  
"More fish for me, please." Morgana requested as he curled up on Ren's lap. Ren sighed and fished out his wallet with an eye-roll. Ryuji looked at his phone and winced.  
  
"You said you were livin' in... Yongen, right? It's rush hour on the subways. I suggest you kill some time before headin' home."  
  
"Shit, is it?" Ren looked at the time on his phone, too. "Crap..."  
  
"We can fly, you know..." Morgana grumbled. "Well, you can't very well yet."  
  
"Neither can you." Ren retorted. "I think Ryuji's right. We can't go messing up on the train, because someone will inevitably see."  
  
"Eh, don't sweat it," Ryuji said with a shrug, "it'll clear up in, like, an hour. In the meantime, we can just chill." The boy's eyes widened. "Oh, yeah! Tell me your number. Chat ID, too."  
  
Ren nodded, and the two quickly exchanged information. Ryuji grumbled. "You hear about the volleyball rally that's gonna be tomorrow? Shit's recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me want to gag."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I know you're a TA for Kawakami instead of doin' PE... do you still have to go?"  
  
"Unfortunately." Ren rolled his eyes. "She said everyone was supposed to be there, so I'm supposed to suck it up and go, too. I really don't want to even be in the same room as Kamoshida..."  
  
The other boy's expression soured immediately. "Did he say or do anythin' to you?"  
  
"Not directly, no." Ren said with a shrug. "I just heard him talking shit about me yesterday with Kobayakawa."  
  
"What shit?" Ryuji growled. Ren shrugged again.  
  
"Nothing meaningful. Just... questioned why I was allowed in and said he found me suspicious. Didn't believe I was untouched by the portal. Said he thought I was dangerous."  
  
Ryuji's nose wrinkled. "That piece of..." He shook his head. "Just ignore him. He's an asshole."  
  
Morgana's ears twitched. "He's not wrong about us being... changed by the portal, but I believe Ren is worried he'll somehow find out about us or... do something."  
  
"I wouldn't put it past him if he somehow found out. I could see him being a real effin' bigoted asshole, but..." Ryuji managed a reassuring smile. "So he doesn't find out. He don't got any proof, and so long as you start practicing, he shouldn't find out. I only found out because you, uh, weren't... practicing like your guardian said to, right?"  
  
"Right." Morgana answered for Ren. Ryuji nodded.  
  
"So... just start doin' that, and you'll be good." He grinned. "Plus, you got me at your side now. I'm glad I found out, because you_ really_ need the help, huh?"  
  
Ren reddened and sighed with a nod. "Yeah, apparently I do."  
  
Ryuji looked at his food again, frowned, and elbowed Ren. "C'mon, you have to eat! You heard what Morgana said. You can't work out without eatin' properly, after all."  
  
The halfa sighed, rolled his eyes, and tucked into his food. In spite of himself, Ren was smiling softly. _Maybe having a friend in the know won't be so bad at all._


	6. Volleyball Rally

"So... Phantom-sama's really like you, too, then? A halfa?"  
  
"Keep it down!"  
  
"I am keeping it down!"  
  
The volleyball rally, as it had turned out, provided a prime opportunity for Ryuji to completely ignore what was going on. Instead, he chose to ask Ren and Morgana what seemed to be an endless stream of curious questions. They had managed to find a wall to sit against, away from the crowd within the gym, ignoring the game as they chatted. To his credit, he did manage to keep his voice to a whisper with great effort.   
  
Morgana had just scolded him anyways for getting a smidgen above a whisper and earned a glare from Ryuji. Ren just sighed and shrugged.  
  
"Yes, he is. He was blasted by a portal his parents built when he was 14, in 2004."  
  
"Whoa..." Ryuji whispered in awe, eyes glittering with excitement. His voice quivered as he continued. "So, like, that's why he's been so different all along, huh? 'Cause I've seen people wonder why he ages and needs to breathe and eat 'n stuff. Same for you, I'm guessing."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Wow." Ryuji nodded to himself slowly. "Cool, man. That's cool. So, um..." He turned to him. "Do you got all his powers, or...?"  
  
Ren shook his head. "No. We can only fly, go invisible, and go intangible so far."  
  
"We're told we'll develop more soon, though," Morgana piped up, "with experience and... 'core maturation', if I remember the term right."  
  
Ryuji cocked his head to the side. "'Core maturation?' That like ghost puberty or somethin'?"  
  
"Sort of," Ren replied, "I'm told eventually every ghost goes through that, literally called 'core eruption' or 'core maturation.' Basically, you get whatever powers are associated with your core type. Phantom's is ice, so he got ice powers."  
  
"Whoa... neat." Ryuji cocked his head at him. "I wonder what my core would be, if I were a halfa, too... electric, maybe?" Ren shrugged, so Ryuji just shrugged back. "Alright, so... do you know what your cores 're gonna be yet?"  
  
"Nope." Ren replied with a shrug. "I'm not really looking forward to it. I've heard it's... uncomfortable. Apparently you start displaying weird signs about a day beforehand. Like, I heard Phantom felt really cold and eventually literally froze up. Like, 'icicles literally hanging off his face' cold."  
  
Ryuji winced, but offered a reassuring smile. "Hey, it might suck at first, but it'll be okay; I'll be with you every step of the way. I promise."  
  
Ren managed a shy smile. "Thanks..." He turned to look at Morgana, who was staring at the other end of the gym towards Ann, who sat at the end of a row of chairs, beside a row of excitedly cheering kids. Unlike the others, she was frowning, eyes downcast and depressed as she looked down at a lock of hair in her hand, which she wad playing with idly.  
  
"Lady Ann seems so sad..." Morgana murmured, still seated inside the bag situated between the boys. Ryuji looked up at her, too, and frowned.  
  
"Still sticks out... hasn't changed a bit." he muttered wistfully. Ren almost asked him what he meant when he heard loud, excited gasps arise from the crowds. All three boys looked up just in time to see Kamoshida leap upward into the air and spike a volleyball back at the helpless students playing against him and the other teachers. Like a shot, it quickly shot forward... and hit a player in the face, who crashed to the ground unceremoniously as the crowd groaned in sympathy.  
  
Ren himself hissed at the sight. He recognized the victim as a blue-haired, plain-looking quiet boy who always seemed battered from his homeroom class. As the ball bounced away, Kamoshida stared with an inscrutable expression across the netting before moving to climb under it and hurry to the boy to prop him up. "Sorry!" he cried. "Hey, are you alright?!"  
  
The boy didn't stir immediately. The teacher looked up at the crowd growing around him. "Someone! Take him to the nurse's office!" He turned back to the student and pulled him up by the arms, who still seemed reluctant to open his eyes as another student dragged him away.   
  
The volleyball that had spiked him had rolled over towards the boys, where they glared at the scene. Ryuji growled to himself as he picked up the ball and tossed it back towards the center of the gym. "What an asshole... you can tell he doesn't really have any remorse for that."  
  
Ren scoffed. "If he actually had remorse, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have just stopped and stared for a minute like 'how do I make this look like I care so I don't get in trouble?'"  
  
"Right?" Ryuji agreed with a scoff. Morgana growled.  
  
"Maybe we ought to do something about Kamoshida..."  
  
Ryuji looked down at the cat with a raised eyebrow and wide eyes. "You think we could?" he questioned hopefully. Ren stared at the two briefly as they whispered conspiratorially; he zoned out as he glanced back up to see Kamoshida's shit-eating grin had returned, as if nothing had happened as soon as the injured boy was out of sight.

"Alright, let's resume the match!" he exclaimed cheerfully. As Ren's glare hardened, he briefly caught Takamaki side-eyeing the PE teacher with a tightly controlled neutral expression.  
  
He sighed to himself as he leaned back against the wall. "What could we do about Kamoshida?"   
  
"Let's talk about this as soon as we're cut loose for the afternoon." Ryuji murmured back.  
  
As Ren turned to look at him, he saw the anger in Ryuji's eyes had been replaced by determination.

* * *

  
"That asshole's actin' like he's king of a castle." Ryuji grumbled, eyes narrowed. "Get to know each other better, my ass. It's just a one-man show for him to stroke his ego. And how he acted like he was worried about Mishima?" The boy snorted. "What an abusive d-bag...!"  
  
"He is a pretty big asshole, that_ is_ true." Ren agreed dryly. Morgana huffed from inside the bag.  
  
"I may have an idea."  
  
The boys had congregated in the courtyard, off to the side from the crowds once they had been turned loose. They gathered around a picnic table that, mercifully, was being left alone; the combined presence of Ren and Ryuji, the freak and the punk respectively, was enough to make most shy away from them. To some extent, it made Ren's heart ache, but it worked best for their purposes as they talked in private. At Morgana's words, Ryuji sat upright, suddenly paying very close attention to the cat as he pushed himself out of the bag and placed his paws on the tabletop.  
  
"We know Kamoshida is a menace," Morgana started, "there's all sorts of rumors about the abuses he's doing, not to mention how banged-up the volleyball team looks all the time. Lady Ann seems frightened of him to some extent, and we cannot abide by this."  
  
"No, we can't." Ryuji agreed with a serious nod. Morgana nodded back and looked to Ren.   
  
"I think the time has come to start using our powers. We have to do something about Kamoshida."  
  
"But what, though?" Ryuji questioned with a frown. "You guys can only fly, turn invisible, and turn intangible. Y'can't really..." He paused as his eyes widened. "... Oh! Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"  
  
"That's right, Ryuji!" Morgana said excitedly, flicking his tail back and forth rapidly. Ren frowned and crossed his arms.  
  
"Where are you two going with this?" he questioned. The two shared their answers in unison.  
  
"We're gonna film what Kamoshida does in private invisibly!" Ryuji cried.  
  
"We're gonna overshadow Kamoshida and force him to confess his crimes!" Morgana decreed.   
  
The two stopped and stared at each other, bewildered. Ren's nose wrinkled.  
  
"Overshadowing? We don't even know how to do that yet."  
  
Ryuji's face fell, and he gave a queasy look at Morgana, who scoffed. "So what? We spend some time practicing with intangibility, I'm sure we'd get it down enough for our purposes."  
  
"There's also my suggestion..." Ryuji cut in with a frown. "Do we really got time for you two to try to be figurin' that all out? You guys-- well, even just one of you-- could just film what he's doin' in his office and practice without bein' noticed, right?"  
  
Morgana scoffed. "That runs the risk of us getting discovered. The authorities will question how such otherwise impossible recordings would get done without being noticed. As the only two capable here, the bureau would figure it out quickly that Ren and I were spying on him, and we could get in huge trouble for using our powers outside of what the bureau allows. They're already not crazy about the idea of two new half ghosts being turned loose."  
  
Ryuji growled to himself. "Goddamn it... you sure they would figure it out?"  
  
"There's a pretty good chance, yeah." Ren admitted. The other boy let out a groan and grimaced.  
  
"Guess there's no other way then, huh..." He shook his head. "How long do you think it would take you guys to teach yourselves the overshadowing thing?"  
  
"There's a problem with that idea, too," Ren cut in, "you don't think anyone would get suspicious about his sudden change of heart? Plus, there's the fact that those inexperienced at overshadowing can do it incorrectly, making the victim's eyes glow and their voice sounds like the ghost's, not the actual person's. Not only would we have to teach ourselves how to overshadow to begin with, then we'd have to pull double time to perfect it just to make it look like he himself came to his own conclusions about the morality of his actions." He scoffed. "And even then, we could still get caught. The bureau would find it very suspicious, given our presence here at the school. We'd probably get in even _more _trouble than just filming him being an asshole." He hugged himself and shook his head. "Not to mention I'm not crazy about the idea of overshadowing someone. It seems... _wrong_. Like we're violating them."  
  
"What other choices do we have?" Morgana protested. "Maybe it'd be worth a little trouble. If you won't do it, I will."  
  
Ryuji shrugged. "We could try to convince some of the volleyball team to fess up to his wrongdoing?" he suggested. Morgana scoffed.  
  
"You really think they'd talk to us? Well, specifically, you two? A delinquent everyone calls a 'track traitor' and the new kid everyone's calling a freak of nature without even knowing the whole extent of the truth?"  
  
"We have to try." Ryuji protested. "These 're our options, yeah? We gotta do something." His eyes hardened. "I'll be sure to find someone to spill about Kamoshida's physical abuses. Just you wait, asshole."  
  
Someone cleared their throat a few feet away from the table. All the boys turned to see the battered boy from earlier, a fresh bandage over his nose and a bag in hand, staring at them. Ren felt the color drain from his face as Ryuji blinked. "Mishima?"  
  
"H- Hey." he stuttered. "Pardon me."  
  
The boys shared a look. Ren turned to him, still white in the face. "Uh... did you hear us talking?"  
  
"No." Mishima quickly dismissed. "I just came to get something from the vending machines."  
  
The boy quickly walked past them, pointedly not looking at them as he went for the soda machine. No one said anything for a moment.  
  
"Hey," Ryuji spoke up, "got a second?"  
  
Mishima flinched and turned to look at him while Ren and Morgana gave Ryuji a befuddled look. The blond crossed his arms. "Kamoshida's been 'coaching' you, right? You sure it's not just physical abuse?"  
  
The blue-haired boy took a step backwards, into the soda machine. It thudded as he did so, and as he responded, he didn't meet their eyes. "C- Certainly not!"   
  
Ryuji scoffed. "What're you talkin' all polite for? Anyways... we saw him spike you today. Right in the face."  
  
Mishima continued looking away. Ren spied a bruise under his eye as he turned his head the other way. "T- That was just because I'm not good at the sport..."  
  
"Still, that doesn't explain all the other bruises you've got." Ryuji remarked. Ren mentally agreed as he looked him over; he saw a bandage wrapped around his left arm, along with a myriad of bruises splotched here and there along his arms. This time, Mishima looked up, glaring defensively at him as he stuffed a hand in his pocket.  
  
"They're from practice!"  
  
"Is he forcin' you to keep quiet?" Ryuji pressed, eyes narrowed. The other boy deflated and turned his head away again.  
  
"That's..."  
  
"What's going on here?"  
  
All boys (sans Morgana, who tucked himself in Ren's bag) looked up, surprised as Kamoshida walked over to their corner. Mishima in particular flinched from him, Ryuji's eyes burned with hatred, and Ren just stared with a carefully neutral expression. Mishima paled. "Um..."  
  
"What are you doin' here?" Ryuji questioned bluntly, glaring still at him. Kamoshida scoffed and crossed his arms.  
  
"I'm here to check on one of my students... and to make sure he'll be available for practice today." He turned to stare Mishima down with a threatening smile. Mishima yet again took a step backwards and held an arm in front of himself against his chest protectively.  
  
"I- I'm not feeling well today..." he murmured. Kamoshida scoffed and put his hands on his hips.  
  
"What? Maybe you're better off quitting, then."  
  
_"Yes. Good suggestion. Quit."_ Ren thought to himself._ "What team could be worth this nonsense?"_  
  
Ren bit back a sigh as Mishima flinched and stood up straight, eyes wide as Kamoshida kept speaking. "You're never going to improve that crappy form until you show up to practice."  
  
"Didn't you hear?" Ryuji snapped, standing up. "He ain't feelin' well!"  
  
Kamoshida looked away from him, back to Mishima. "Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?"  
  
There was an undercurrent of a threat to that statement. Ren wondered what might happen if the boy refused, but he didn't find out. The boy hung his head and nodded. "... I'll go." he muttered, resigned.  
  
The PE teacher took the opportunity to turn to stare down Ryuji. "As for you, any more trouble and you'll be gone from this school for sure." he warned coldly. Ryuji scoffed and turned his head away.  
  
"Bastard..." the blond muttered. Kamoshida finally turned his attention to Ren, who stared back at him silently. The man's nose wrinkled at the sight of him, and his lips curled back.   
  
"Same goes for you." he warned. Ryuji turned back to him with a frown.  
  
"Oh, come on! He hasn't even done anything."  
  
"Yet." Kamoshida scoffed. He crossed his arms. "You're him, huh? The famous transfer student."  
  
"That's me." Ren replied flatly. He kept his face neutral as possible as Kamoshida sized him up, staring him down.   
  
"I'm warning you, too, because I don't like the company you pick." he said, still cold. "A man can be judged by the company he keeps..." His voice dropped to a deadly serious, yet quiet tone. "But you're not quite a man... are you?"  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ren deflected, still stone-cold neutral as possible, but internally, he felt a bubble of panic arise. Ryuji, on the other hand, reddened and grit his teeth.  
  
"The hell you talkin' about? He's _clearly _a dude! And let's say in the off-chance he _wasn't_ born a--"  
  
"I'm not talking about gender, moron." Kamoshida said coldly. "But I'll leave it at that for now. Know your place, new kid. No one walks away from what you did unscathed, and if you want to stay here, you need to behave yourself. Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here... or in your case, anywhere... you fucking _freak."_ The last sentence was whispered, but Ren caught it all the same. Finally, he turned his hard gaze back to Mishima. "I'll see you in an hour, Mishima. If you don't show up, I'll assume you're quitting the team."  
  
"Yes, sir..." Mishima muttered. With that, Kamoshida walked off without a look back. Ryuji growled to himself.  
  
"That asshole..." He looked to Ren, who was looking down at the ground in silence. Ryuji immediately deflated, and his frown softened. "Hey, don't take anything he said to heart, alright, Ren? There's nothing wrong with you. He's just an asswipe."  
  
"I know. Thanks." Ren muttered. Ryuji's eyes hardened again as he looked away and shook his head.   
  
"He's gonna pay for this...!"  
  
"... There's no point." Mishima murmured, drawing their attention. His eyes were half-lidded, his head still hanging with defeat. Ryuji scowled.  
  
"Huh?!"  
  
"Proving that he's physically abusing us... is meaningless." he muttered shamefully. "Everybody knows... The principal, our parents... They all know, and they all keep quiet about it."  
  
Ryuji blanched, and his eyes widened. "This has gotta be a joke..."  
  
"I can believe it." Ren muttered bitterly. "Sometimes parents are willing to throw their own kids under the bus if it means some stupid form of success..."  
  
"Then you understand." Mishima grumbled. "You don't, Sakamoto." He finally turned to look at Ren with a serious scowl. "We're all just being used... and no one cares. And if you know what's best for you, you'll stop trying to do something about it." He paused, searching for words. "... Don't rock the boat further. You already have enough on your plate... just like the rest of us. And you, Sakamoto..." He turned to glare at him. "Shouldn't you, of all people, know nothing's going to help...?!"  
  
Finally, the blue-haired boy ducked his head and scurried off, leaving the three behind. A silence fell over them, broken when Morgana popped out of the bag.  
  
"We have to do something, consequences be damned." the cat said, low and serious. "We're the only hope this school has of freedom."  
  
"I'll take the fall, if I can. Somehow." Ryuji piped up, turning to them. "Anything I can do to help-- I will."  
  
"We need to keep brainstorming for a solution." Ren muttered with a shake of the head. "If we truly have no other options... then we'll do it. But let's spend a day or two thinking about this."  
  
"In the meanwhile, we need to start practicing. Just in case." Morgana huffed. "Thinking is well and good... but we have to be prepared."  
  
"I'll try to help, too." Ryuji said. "I'll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That's... all I can do. Or maybe I can somehow help with your overshadowin' practice, if it means--"  
  
"No." Ren cut off with a shake of the head. "Absolutely not. You will _not _be a practice dummy. Also, I don't want to be inside of you."  
  
Ryuji's shook his head. "That's pretty gay, dude. No homo, not that there's anything wrong with that. Only bromo for me."  
  
"Well, I mean, I'm bi, so..." He shrugged. "Not that was what I meant. Uh... no homo, if it makes you feel better? Only all the bromo._ Ultimate bromo."  
_  
Ryuji snorted and shoved his arm. "You're such a dork."  
  
"No, you."  
  
"No,_ you."_  
  
The two boys began elbowing each other playfully until Ryuji's elbow passed through Ren, who went intangible on instinct. Ryuji realized his mistake a moment too late as he flailed and fumbled for purchase on the table before he crashed against Ren. Morgana yowled and hopped out of the bag as Ryuji fell on his side, pushing the solid part of Ren flat out of his chair. He crashed to the ground... or would have, if his lower half hadn't gone intangible. He yelped and clutched the concrete ground desperately as he began sinking.  
  
"Oh, _shit!"_ Ryuji scrambled to his feet and swiftly pulled Ren up and out of the ground. As he pulled him out, Ren became solid again, and for a moment, the two sat on the ground, Ren's arms in Ryuji's hands as the two panted, exhausted, both with relief. As their breathing settled down, both quieted. They pulled away from each other and stared at the other for a moment before breaking down into snorting laughter. Morgana scoffed.  
  
"You're both such children."  
  
"I know, right?" Ryuji agreed with a grin. He rolled his eyes at Ren. "S_mooth,_ dude."  
  
"Shuddup, I can't help it." he protested, reddening as they stood up. Ryuji shrugged.  
  
"You'll get there eventually... but in the meanwhile..." He grinned. "It's pretty damn funny, I gotta say."  
  
"Anyways, if your idiocy is done with..." Morgana cut in. "Let's just eat and go home. Ren and I will spend time practicing and if anyone thinks up any ideas..."  
  
"I'll text you guys immediately." Ryuji agreed with a nod. "Now, c'mon. Your halfa asses need to eat."  
  
As they headed to the student store, Kamoshida's comments, at least for the moment, were forgotten altogether by Ren.


	7. Investigations

"Okay," Morgana said, "on the count of three, you're going to walk through this blanket. Are you ready?"  
  
"I am." Ren agreed, staring hard at the blanket Morgana was holding, floating near the rafters in ghost form. Ren, too, had transformed, and stared intensely at the obstacle in front of him. Futaba had joined them, sitting on the couch in the attic, hugging her knees like a gargoyle as she perched atop of the seats watching with excited, wide eyes.   
  
Ren took a few deep breaths, his red eyes focused intensely ahead of him, and with one last breath as Morgana counted down, he charged forward, internally shouting at himself to go intangible. The effort failed as he felt himself crash at full speed into the blanket, knocking it out of Morgana's paws, as he careened forward to the ground inelegantly. He fell with a resounding thud.  
  
Futaba burst into laughter and pointed at the scene, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to breathe. Morgana stared, wide-eyed, and cringed, his ears pinning back.  
  
"Ren?! Are you okay?!" he cried. Ren merely responded with a muffled groan as he didn't bother to crawl out of the sheet. The boy flinched as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.  
  
"What was that?" Sojiro's voice came, breathless and panicky. "Are you two--"  
  
Ren groaned and pulled himself out of the blanket, shaking his white hair. "'M fine. Sorry, Sakura-san..."  
  
Sojiro just stared at him, unblinking with an inscrutable expression. Ren blinked in confusion at him before looking down at himself and groaning. "Oh. Right. This is the first time you've seen me... like _this._ Uh..."  
  
"We're fine." Morgana piped up as he floated down and landed beside Ren. "We were just practicing intangibility. Ren didn't stick the landing."  
  
"Or go through the blanket." Futaba said as she clapped sarcastically. "You at least win the_ You Tried _star; do it again! That was hilarious."  
  
Ren turned to flip her off. "Gremlin." he scoffed. She stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Ghosty ghost who can't ghost properly."  
  
"Alright, enough." Sojiro cut in, holding up his hands. The man sighed and shook his head. "No more practicing anything aside from transformation up here. One of you could get hurt, and the blanket's gonna get filthy if you keep knocking it to the ground like that."  
  
"Well, what else are we supposed to do?!" Morgana protested. Sojiro shrugged.  
  
"Wait until next week when Phantom shows up to give the both of you formal lessons in a controlled environment. The attic is not a controlled environment. No more of this." He sighed and turned to Ren, who was pushing himself up on his feet. The boy reached down to pick up the blanket and shook it out a bit before he sheepishly looked up at Sojiro while his cheeks reddened slightly. He didn't understand why, at the blushing, the others jumped and gave him funny looks.   
  
"Sorry, Sakura-san." he apologized again. Sojiro snapped out of his stunned reverie and cleared his throat.  
  
The man shook his head. "It's... it's okay. It's understandable." He paused for a moment. "Er... are you aware of the fact you're..."  
  
"Invisible. Totally invisible." Futaba cut in. Ren looked down at himself and saw nothing, only the ground below him. He yelped and turned visible, finally truly exposing his red face. Futaba giggled.  
  
"Aww, you're blushing! No wonder you went invisible."  
  
"Shuddup..." he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. Sojiro sighed and shook his head again.  
  
"It's not a big deal. Just try to relax, alright? Dinner will be ready soon, so remember to change back before you all come downstairs. Also, er..." He shrugged. "I don't mean to embarrass you or anything, kid, but, uh... why are you wearing that outfit?"  
  
Ren groaned as he looked down at his gentleman thief costume. "It wasn't exactly my choice. I was supposed to wear this to a play I was supposed to be in at my school when... you know. The accident."  
  
"I think it looks cool! You look like a gentleman thief! A _phantom thief!" _Futaba giggled. Sojiro rolled his eyes.  
  
"Very funny." he said dryly. "All of you-- try not to hurt yourselves for the rest of the evening, alright? And be sure to get some rest. You'll need it for school."   
  
As he went downstairs, a silence fell over the room. Ren huffed and went to set the blanket back on his bed, floating past the others as he did so. When he finished making the bed, his phone buzzed, which he plucked out of his pocket to see that Futaba had texted him.  
  
**_Futaba:_**  
  


* * *

  
The next day at school wasn't any more fruitful than the previous day.  
  
_**Ryuji: **Any ideas yet?  
  
**Ren:** Nope. How about you?  
  
**Ryuji: **Nope..._  
  
April 14th, and they still had no clue what they were doing. In-between the mundane tasks at school-- go to class, pay attention, help Kawakami with work-- Ren's mind drifted to what they were going to do about Kamoshida. Practice with overshadowing had been unfruitful so far, and Sojiro's admonition had put a block in the way of their plans. Morgana shrugged it off anyways-- "we'll find somewhere else to practice," he had said calmly.  
  
He made his way to the rooftop for lunch as soon as the bell rang with intent to wait for Ryuji, but as soon as he opened the door, he spied Haru sitting by her garden plots. She still smiled warmly at him and waved.  
  
"Good afternoon, Amamiya-kun!" she greeted. "Come to have lunch?"  
  
"Sure did." Ren internally cursed over lost privacy and moved to prop himself up on one of the desks. He was about to rustle in his bag for the sandwich Sojiro had sent him with when Morgana popped out of the bag, sandwich bag in his mouth, as he proffered it to Ren. The boy smiled. "Thanks, Morgana."  
  
"What a good helper he is!" Haru giggled. "Good work, Morgana-chan!"  
  
The two giggled as Morgana meowed pleasantly before tucking back into the bag for his own baggy of kibble. Meanwhile, Haru plucked a few tomatoes from her garden, stood up, and smiled. "Would you like a tomato to go with your lunch? I just picked one for myself and one for you. Sorry, Morgana-chan, but I don't know if tomatoes are safe for kitties, so I'm afraid I can't offer you one."  
  
The cat meowed irritably while Ren nodded. "I'd love that. Thank you, Okumura-senpai."  
  
"'Haru' is fine, Ren-kun." she said warmly as she went to wash off the fruit. As she stood up from the faucet by the wall, the door opened, and Ryuji made his entrance.  
  
"Ren, have you had any success learning to-- oh, hi, Okumura-senpai." he turned and gave the girl a bewildered stare. Haru cocked her head to the side.  
  
"Hmm? Learning to do what?"  
  
"Uh..." Ryuji stammered. "He's--"  
  
"I've been trying to teach myself to cook." Ren spoke up, drawing her attention. "I live in a cafe, now, after all. It's only respectful that I learn to prepare food to help my guardian out from time-to-time." He forced a laugh. "As you might imagine, learning to cook when clumsy is... difficult. I had been talking to Ryuji about it."  
  
Haru beamed. "Oh, how wonderful! Cooking is so much fun; I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually. I've heard the clumsiness from a portal accident goes away with time. I'd love to share recipes."  
  
"By all means."  
  
Haru turned to Ryuji. "Can you cook, Sakamoto-kun?"  
  
He stammered for a moment before shrugging. "Uh, well... a little. To help my mom out."  
  
"Aww, how sweet of you." She smiled. "Good for the both of you. Too many boys dismiss cooking as a woman's job, not realizing it's an integral life skill for all."   
  
Ryuji smiled. "Y- Yeah, yeah. That's true." He turned to Ren, bewildered. "Uh..."  
  
"Just text me what you got." he whispered to him. He turned to Haru. "I can feel my phone buzzing. Excuse me for a minute; I think my guardian is texting me."  
  
Haru nodded and returned to her garden. Ryuji quickly began to text, and soon enough, Ren's phone buzzed.  
  
_**Ryuji:** So about witnesses...  
  
**Ryuji:** I was wondering if we could get something out of Takamaki.  
  
**Ren:** Since she's with Kamoshida?  
  
**Ryuji:** No, that ain't why.  
  
**Ryuji:** Just hear me out.   
  
**Ryuji:** Morgana might be right that we're not gonna get anything out of the volleyball team.   
  
**Ryuji:** I figured it'd be a good idea to talk to someone who knows them.  
  
**Ryuji:** Takamaki's BFFs with Suzui, a starter.  
  
**Ryuji:** I tried to talk to her earlier but got nothing.   
  
**Ryuji:** That's why we should have Takamaki talk to her.   
  
**Ryuji:** Then again, I guess it'll be hard getting her to help us...  
  
**Ren:** They were both really nice to me the other day. I don't really want to make either of them too uncomfortable.  
  
**Ryuji:** Yeah, you're right...  
  
**Ryuji:** Sorry. Lemme see what else I can come up with._  
  
"I'm telling the both of you this is a waste of time," Morgana huffed in a whisper, "we need to practice somewhere quiet and learn to overshadow so we can take Kamoshida down directly, consequences be damned."  
  
The boys shared a look. Ryuji let out a resigned sigh and shrugged. He looked as though he was about to say something when Haru approached again, clean tomatoes in hand. She handed one to Ren, who smiled. "Thank you, Haru."  
  
"Don't mention it; I'm just happy to share what I harvest." She turned to Ryuji. "Would you like one, Sakamoto-kun?"  
  
Ryuji's eyes widened. "O- Oh! Sure." He smiled. "Thank you."  
  
They shared another look and shrugged before digging into their lunch with Haru. _"Guess it'll have to wait for now..." _Ren mused internally.

* * *

  
"Shouldn't you be heading to volleyball?"  
  
Ann sat with Shiho on a bench in the shade by the vending machines when she posed the question. School had been let out, and it was already reaching twilight as an orange light was cast over the city. Shiho didn't reply immediately as she hunched over, looking down at the ground listlessly. Ann spied a bruise over her eye as she faced downward. "Uh-huh..." she replied dully. Ann leaned forward, inspecting the bruise.  
  
"That bruise above your eye... is that from practice, too?"  
  
"Y- Yeah..."   
  
Ann frowned as Shiho glanced up at her nervously. "Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?"  
  
Shiho looked away from her and hung her head downward again and closed her eyes. "I'm okay... Volleyball's the only thing I can do right..."  
  
Ann just stared, searching for words. A moment of silence passed before her phone began ringing, but Ann didn't make a move to answer it. Shiho looked back up quizzically. "Shouldn't you take that?"  
  
The other girl just shook her head and forced a smile. "It's probably just my part-time job... I think."  
  
Shiho didn't return the smile. She just hung her head again, eyes still downcast. "I... should get going."  
  
"Shiho..." Ann murmured worriedly. "... Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Uh-huh..." The girl stood up and walked away without a look backwards. Ann rose to her feet as she watched her walk away. Her phone continued to ring, and as Ann took out the phone to look at the caller ID, her heart sank.   
  
Reluctantly, she answered it.  
  
"... Yes?... Today won't work... I'm... I'm not feeling so good... Sorry... bye."  
  
She quickly hung up and hurried away, ignoring two boys as they passed her to where she and Shiho had just been sitting.   
  
"Hey, wasn't that Takamaki?" one of the boys, a bored-looking one, questioned aloud.   
  
"Rumor has it she's dating Kamoshida." his friend, a disheveled-looking boy replied.   
  
"Seriously?" the other boy scoffed. The disheveled boy nodded.  
  
"I heard people saw them in his car together."  
  
The previously bored-looking boy snickered. "You know... she seems pretty easy, huh? You think I'd have a chance, too?"  
  
"C'mon, dude, you can't go after Kamoshida's bitch!"

* * *

  
As Ren headed out of the school, he spied Shiho standing by the door to the courtyard as she looked down at her phone, eyes half-lidded and a small frown on her face. She noticed the boy and looked up, head cocked to the side. "Oh, Amamiya-kun, what is it? Oh... I'm in the way, aren't I?... Sorry..."  
  
Ren offered a weak smile. "Oh, don't worry about it. Are you alright?"  
  
"Huh...?" She quickly looked away and rubbed her hand over her arm. "Um, well..." She paused and looked up at Ren with a small smile. "How about you?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
She nodded, though she faced her side to him and didn't meet his eyes, head still hanging downward. "I know transferring here hasn't been easy. Um, it might not be any of my business, but don't let any of the rumors or whispering get to you, okay...?"  
  
Ren shrugged. "Oh, I'm okay. I've had a few good people help support me, so it hasn't been all bad."  
  
Shiho smiled weakly and turned to face him, arms hanging at her sides. "I'm glad to hear that. Ann is often misunderstood, too, because of her looks." She paused and hung her head again. "Sorry... I didn't mean to drag on like that."  
  
"You weren't dragging on."  
  
"T- Thanks... Anyways, I have to go to practice... I'll see you around."  
  
She walked off without another word, not allowing him another word, either, as he watched after her with a worried frown.

* * *

As Ren made his way to where he was to meet by Ryuji by the vending machines, he saw Ryuji irritably tapping his foot on the ground, arms crossed.   
  
"Dammit. What the hell..." he hissed.   
  
"Did you find someone?"  
  
Ryuji let out an exasperated sigh. "Is that what it looks like?" He threw a fist against a vending machine. "All of 'em kept sayin' the same shit Mishima was talkin' about...! Kamoshida had to have told 'em something!" He picked his head up, fist still against the machine. "At this rate... it looks like Morgana's plan might be the only shot we got."  
  
"We could just try to film him if we're desperate..." Ren pointed out. Morgana scoffed as he hopped out of the bag, onto Ren's shoulder, and onto the table. He turned to Ren and shook his head.  
  
"Aren't you the one who said we'd get in trouble for doing that?"  
  
"I mean... if we're going to get in trouble either way if we're caught... we'd probably get in less trouble for filming him than we would for overshadowing him."  
  
"We have a lesser chance of getting caught if we just overshadow him." Morgana huffed. "It'll be hard to prove we did it, but it'll be easier for the bureau to prove we were filming somewhere no human could normally reach without being detected."  
  
Ryuji huffed. "Even if one of you overshadow him, won't he just forget everything you did after you're done? He'll wake up in jail and start retracting his confession. Then it'd be obvious he was overshadowed." He groaned. "And who else could it be other than you two? You'd be caught for sure."  
  
"Not to mention my guardian caught us practicing yesterday," Ren huffed, "he told us to knock it off until Phantom-sama shows up to oversee our practice."  
  
Ryuji raised an eyebrow. "Speakin' of which, where is he? What's takin' him so long to show up?"  
  
"He's an astronaut," Ren replied with a shrug, "apparently he was in the middle of a mission in space with NASA when my accident happened. He couldn't just up and leave the mission, and he'll be coming here next week. I've only spoken a little with him over a computer. He seems busy."  
  
"Do you think he might help us?" Ryuji suggested, eyes widening with hope. "Phantom-sama carries a lot of influence as a worldwide hero."  
  
"Do we have time to waste on waiting for him to show up?" Morgana huffed. Ryuji scowled.  
  
"Listen, I'm not crazy about sitting around either, but I don't wanna have either of you get in trouble. You both have enough to deal with without that." He shook his head. "Let's... let's go home for today. We can try brainstormin' a bit, and if it's relatively quiet for a week, maybe we can wait for Phantom-sama's help."  
  
Ren sighed. "I sure hope so."

* * *

_  
**Ryuji:** Hey, I heard something that got my attention.   
  
**Ryuji:** About that Suzui girl... looks like rumors are going around about her and Kamoshida.   
  
**Ryuji:** If they're true, it's no wonder I couldn't get her to talk.   
  
**Ryuji:** Still, something about that doesn't seem right.   
  
**Ren:** Do you know something?  
  
**Ryuji:** It's nothing clear-cut, but...   
  
**Ryuji:** I've known Takamaki and Suzui since middle school.   
  
**Ryuji:** There's just no way Kamoshida's their type, y'know?  
  
**Ryuji:** So... I gotta wonder where those rumors came from.   
  
**Ryuji:** Well, whatever. I'll try asking around some more._  
  
The texts made Ren think back to Suzui as he walked out of the bustling train station._ "She seemed so... afraid. Didn't look at me. Avoided talking about her own condition..."_ Ren mused to himself. He was heading out into the bustling street as he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Will you please give it a rest?! I told you, I'm not feeling up to it..."  
  
Ren's head turned towards the voice and immediately spied Ann Takamaki only a few feet away as she talked into her phone. The hand not holding the phone was hanging at her side, clenched and white-knuckled as she spoke, her teeth gritted. Her eyes widened. "Wait... what!? That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!?" Her voice grew shaky. "This has nothing to do with Shiho!" He heard the sound of a phone line disconnecting, and Ann gasped. For a moment, she stared silently down at her phone before crouching to the ground, burying her face in her knees.   
  
"Shiho's... starting position..."   
  
Finally, Ren approached her and knelt down to her eye-level. "Um... Takamaki-san?"  
  
Ann's head snapped to him, and alarmed, she pulled herself upright. Ren stood, too, his eyes wide. "Wait, Takamaki--"  
  
"Wait, were you listening?" she demanded, cringing. Ren shook his head.  
  
"Not intentionally, I--"  
  
"Haven't you heard of privacy?!" She groaned. "No... I was out of line. Sorry." She wiped a tear out of her eyes before looking back at him. "So... how much did you hear?"  
  
"Something about Shiho." Ren admitted. Ann hung her head.  
  
"Shiho..." She looked up at him and steeled her expression. "It's nothing at all. Nothing..." She wiped her eyes again, this time with her arm, and hurried off. Ren gasped and quickly followed; he caught up to her back inside the station as she stood by a green-painted concrete pillar, still weeping. As he cleared his throat, she turned to glare at him. "Stop following me... just leave me alone!"  
  
"I will, if you really want me to, but..." He frowned. "Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
She gawked at him in disbelief, tears still glistening in her eyes as she breathed uneasily. "Why...?" She shook her head. "Why do you keep worrying about me?" She broke into sobs as she finished. Ren gently patted her on the arm, prompting her to look up.  
  
"Is it alright if I take you somewhere safe to calm down? There's a Big Bang Burger nearby. Okay?"  
  
Ann stared at him in disbelief, her face red and snot hanging from her nose. "What the heck? I don't really get you..."  
  
"I just don't like seeing people hurting and not doing anything to help when I think I can, if even a little."   
  
Her eyes softened a bit, and finally, she nodded. She hung her head the whole time as she allowed him to guide her to the Big Bang Burger, which was crowded, but not as crowded as the subway. He found her somewhere to sit, and when asking what she wanted led to her mumbling, he chose to just order some fries and three cups of water, one for him, one for her, and one for Morgana, who got out of the bag to sit in her lap and purr contently while Ren ordered.  
  
"I don't have anything to talk about with you." she snapped as he came back. He set down the tray and shrugged.  
  
"That's okay. You don't have to if you don't want to, but please, just try taking a sip of water and a few fries. You'll feel better. Won't solve the problem you have, but it'll help with a post-crying headache."  
  
Ann's frown softened. "You sound like you know that from experience."  
  
"That's because I _do_ know from experience." he said dryly. He pretended like he didn't notice the look of pity she gave him as he poured the water for Morgana into a smaller cup as she watched and pushed it towards her. She watched, mildly bemused as the cat propped himself up and began drinking from the cup. It got a giggle out of her as she stroked his head. Finally, she sighed and nodded as she looked up at Ren.  
  
"It was just an argument..."  
  
"... With Kamoshida?" he guessed as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Ann turned her head to him, visible bags under her eyes as she stared. _"She seems really stressed out..."_  
  
She propped her head up on the table with a hand and looked away. "You've heard the rumors... haven't you?" Her head slipped down against her arm, closing her eyes. "About Mr. Kamoshida." She pushed a napkin back and forth on the table with a finger. "Everyone says we're getting it on. But... that's so not true...!" She began pushing the napkin harder. "That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number... for the longest time..." Her shoulders clenched. "He told me to go to his place after this..." She clenched her hand around the napkin, crushing it. "You know what it means."  
  
Ren looked up from the napkin she was fiddling with, silent. She continued. "If I turn him down, he said he'd take my friend off as a regular on the team..." Her voice wavered as she began to shake, her head still hanging. "I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake..." She leaned back against the chair she was in and began to cry again. "I can't take it anymore..."  
  
The boy stammered for a second before closing his mouth.   
  
"I've had enough of this... I hate him!" She shook her head. "But still... Shiho's my best friend." She burst into tears. "She's all I have left of that sorry excuse of a school!" She audibly sobbed before looking up at him tearfully. "Tell me... what should I do...?"  
  
Ren clenched his hands on his knees under the table and thought as he looked up at her. Ann sighed and wiped tears away from her eyes. "Sorry... I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem." She hung her head and closed her eyes for a moment, only to be interrupted by Morgana audibly purring as he reached up to butt his head against her chin. The girl giggled through the tears and managed a smile at the cat as he rubbed himself against her. She stroked his head and back gently and sighed. "Thank you, Morgana-chan... you're a sweetheart. Ren is lucky to have you."  
  
"He likes you." Ren said with a chuckle. "I think he has a crush on you."  
  
Ann giggled again and smooched the top of Morgana's head. "Oh, do you, now, Morgana-chan? You're_ way _more handsome and charming than that nasty Kamoshida..." Morgana's tail stood up and he happily purred and headbutted her chin again, causing her to sigh. "Oh, you absolute cutie! I bet it's because he raised you that way, huh?"  
  
"He's his own person. Cat. Whatever." Ren sighed. "Anyways... I'm sorry to hear all of that. Sounds horrible."  
  
"It is." Ann admitted with a shake of the head, though she continued to stroke Morgana. She sighed. "What... am I saying?" She sniffled. "I've only spoken to you a little..."  
  
"I'm sorry for butting in," he apologized, "I just... I wanted to help. You and Shiho were so kind to me the other day, so... it's only right."  
  
"Huh...?" she looked up at him, wide-eyed, and wiped an eye. "... You're so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me." Ann frowned. "You said... you had experience crying, huh?"  
  
Ren reddened and shrugged. "Oh. Um, well... yeah. A little. Speaking of which..." He nudged the fries towards Ann. "I mean it. You get monster headaches if you don't eat and drink after you cry."  
  
Ann sighed and shook her head as she took a single fry. "You really weren't kidding, huh...?" She exhaled sharply. "You must have been going through your own nightmares..."  
  
"It's alright. I lived."  
  
"Oh, no. You don't get to hear me cry my problems to you and not reciprocate."  
  
Ren stared at her for a moment before sighing and nodding. "The long and short of it is my parents tried to ditch me in the Ghost Zone after the accident. They didn't want to deal with the aftereffects and disability I was presenting, so they disowned me in very... _colorful... _language."  
  
"What?!" Ann's eyes widened, and she blanched as her hand tightened around the napkin again. _"Why?!"_  
  
Ren laughed humorlessly. "They said I'm an abomination. A monster. Because logically, I should have died."  
  
Ann gasped and scowled. "That's horrible! They should have been thrilled you lived! Jumping up and down with joy that their child isn't dead, not that!"  
  
"Yeah... you'd think." He shook his head. "I woke up in the Ghost Zone to some ghosts who were taking care of me. They explained what happened, and, embarrassingly, I burst into tears in front of them. The next few weeks were a lot of the same. So..." He shrugged. "There you go. A boy crying a lot."  
  
"For good reason." Ann remarked. "What sort of people abandon their child for such a stupid reason? Listen-- your parents are the monsters, not you." Internally, he wondered if she'd still think that if she knew the truth of it, but he kept his mouth shut as she continued. "Also, boys can cry; it's just stupid toxic masculinity that says they can't. Crying is normal for anyone, sometimes."  
  
Ren sighed and shrugged. "Thanks... but enough about me." He crossed his arms. "Kamoshida..."  
  
She leaned against her hand, propped up by her elbow on the table. "Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...?" She looked down at the table. "I wish he'd just change his mind... Like forget about me, and everything..." The girl sat upright and leaned back in the seat. "As if something like that would ever happen..."  
  
Ren ignored the pointed stare Morgana was giving him from her lap and smiled weakly. "You never know. Phantom-sama could come swooping down from the sky and save the day."  
  
"Hah!" She shook her head. "I wish, but he probably has bigger fish to fry than this..." She smiled weakly. "I do feel a little bit better. I'm gonna head home."  
  
Morgana meowed sadly and looked up at her, ears pinned back. The girl giggled. "What? Don't want me to leave?" She cooed. "You're so sweet, Morgana-chan. I appreciate your help, too, but Ren-kun needs you right more than me. You should go home with him." The cat grumbled and reluctantly hopped off her lap and into his bag, drawing giggles from her as she covered her mouth. "What a silly boy... it's almost like he can understand us."  
  
"Something like that." Ren said dryly. Ann just picked up her cup of water and stood up, tucking her bag over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed.   
  
"Don't tell anyone what I told you, okay?"  
  
"My lips are sealed." he promised. "Get home safe, Takamaki-san."  
  
She smiled. "Thank you, Ren-kun. You can just call me Ann. Get home safe, too."  
  
With that, he watched as she walked off. He sat there for a moment in silence before staring at the neglected fries. Morgana hopped out of the bag and into his lap as he looked up at him.  
  
"I hope she'll be okay... poor Lady Ann." he murmured.


	8. The Jump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW suicide attempt

"So I assume all of you know about the separation of powers? There are three branches in our government. The national diet is legislative, the cabinet is executive, and the supreme court is judiciary. This division of power provides checks and balances, which ensures no one branch becomes unstoppable."   
  
Ren sighed and leaned against his desk with his elbows, propping his head up with great boredom. The morning of April the 15th was proving quickly to be boring; he had been in honors classes before his accident at his old school, and this subject matter was one he was already familiar with. He huffed quietly and was beginning to zone out, mind drifting to his and Sakamoto's quest to take Kamoshida down.  
  
"Have you made up your mind?" Morgana whispered, jolting him out of his stupor as the cat spoke up from the desk. Ren looked down at him, wide-eyed, as he spoke up. "No matter how much thinking you do, there's only one option."  
  
"Shh!" Ren hissed. Ushimaru frowned and looked about the classroom.  
  
"Hmm? Did I hear someone talking in class?" Morgana cringed and pinned his ears back, silencing. Ushimaru frowned after the moment of silence and huffed. "That's what I thought. Now, continuing on..."  
  
Ren sighed in relief as he turned back to the board, but his relief was short-lived as he felt his phone buzz. He surreptitiously pulled his phone from his pocket to see a text from Ryuji.  
  
_Ryuji: It's no use... I can't think of any other way..._  
  
Ren frowned.  
  
_Ren: Concentrate on class._  
  
_Ryuji: I can't deal with that shit right now. I mean, what're we gonna do about Kamoshida?  
  
Ryuji: Do we just gotta go along with what that cat says?  
  
Ryuji: Urgh, that damn furball..._  
  
Morgana huffed. "No need to be rude..."  
  
Ren shrugged and shoved the phone back in his pocket just as a boy in the front corner of the room stood up, looking out the window. "Hey... what's that...?!" he gasped, alarmed.  
  
"Enough!" Ushimaru barked. "This is a classroom!"  
  
The girl sitting behind the standing boy stretched her neck and looked outside. Color drained from her face. "Wait... she's going to jump...!"   
  
Shocked murmuring filled the room. Mishima stood up and looked out the window, paling as well. "Suzui...?"   
  
Ann pushed herself up at the name, and Ren felt his gut wrench. "Shiho...?" she gasped.  
  
"Hey!" Ushimaru cried. "Stay in your seats! Do not step foot outside of this room!"   
  
Regardless, Ann took off running. Ren rose to his feet as well and followed after her as she charged forward to a window to stare up at the rooftop, where Shiho was standing on the ledge, staring down at the courtyard.  
  
Ren saw the crowds as he stood in the now almost-empty classroom, staring at Shiho helplessly. He shivered as he felt the tingle of ectoplasm under his skin; he looked behind himself briefly to ensure no one was left in the classroom. As Shiho leaned forward, instinct overrode all other thoughts as Ren felt the crackle of impending transformation beneath his skin. He took a step back, eyes widening with fear. With a sharp exhale, he pulled away and ducked beneath the window just as the flames of transformation overtook him. Behind him, he could hear the flash as Morgana transformed as well. Both immediately charged forward, invisibly and intangibly, through the wall, through the crowd, through another wall and both reached for Suzui in the middle of her fall.  
  
Shiho grunted in pain and confusion as she made contact with something solid midair. Ren didn't looked down at her, not yet; he turned around and phased back inside, flying down to just outside the nurses' office as he dropped off the stunned girl on the ground. Morgana, who had been carrying her by the arm, released his grasp on her as she turned to gawk at the now-visible ghost cat. Ren had intended to fly away, but was frozen in place as the girl looked up at him, eyes widening, and she scooted backwards. He felt the color drain from his face as he looked down to see himself in ghost form-- black trenchcoat, dark gray waistcoat beneath it, red gloves, and black pants. His hair was a creamy white, and his eyes a glowing crimson red.   
  
And very much_ not _invisible as he had hoped.  
  
The girl hadn't shrieked, but she was gasping softly and shaking like a leaf. He heard murmurs around him, and he slowly turned around to see he had amassed a growing crowd of students who were staring at him. Several had already whipped their phones out to film the scene. His eyes widened, and finally, his invisibility kicked in as he booked it. He flew fast as he could to the boys' bathroom, where he ducked into an empty stall and transformed back to normal. He stood inside the stall, panting with wide, shaken eyes as he quivered. Morgana trailed in after him and landed on his shoulder before he, too, transformed back into that of a normal cat.  
  
"Ren? Ren, it's okay--"  
  
Morgana's words fell on deaf ears. Everyone had seen him in ghost form. Sojiro was going to be_ so pissed._  
  
_Fuck._  
  
He jumped a bit as his phone pinged, and he pulled it out of his pocket to see a text from Ryuji.  
  
_Ryuji: Great job, where r u?_  
  
Ren huffed.  
  
_Ren: Boy's bathroom, second floor. Hiding in a stall._  
  
Shortly after the text, he heard the bathroom door fling open, and rapid footsteps that stopped not far from the stalls. There was an intake of breath, and then the intruder spoke.  
  
"Ren-Ren? You in here?"  
  
Ren's heart settled a bit at the sound of Ryuji's voice. He exhaled and pushed the stall door open, red in the face as he looked sheepishly at Ryuji. Ryuji smiled. "There you are. You okay?"  
  
"Everyone saw." Ren breathed. Ryuji shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, but they didn't see you transform or anythin', right? So no big deal. No one's gonna suspect you."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Phantom himself said people are really dense," Morgana remarked, "I wouldn't be too worried. Besides, we did a good thing-- we saved that girl's life." He puffed his chest out. "All-in-all, we did a great job!"  
  
Ryuji nodded. "What he said, but..." He frowned. "What do we do now? Suzui was on Kamoshida's team-- he had to have done something to her to cause this!"  
  
"Who could we talk to about it, though?" Ren questioned. "No one's willing to talk as it is--"  
  
All three flinched as they heard the door creak. Morgana caught a glance at the bathroom door creaking shut, and a flash of blue hair as the uninvited guest scurried away. He hissed. "Let's move! Come on!"  
  
The boys hurried out of the bathroom, where they saw Mishima standing outside, bewildered. His eyes widened and he stumbled back as the other boys advanced. He booked it, and the three gave chase as Morgana hopped on Ren's shoulder as the boys chased him down.   
  
They ended up cornering him at the end of a hallway, near the lockers. Mishima trembled as Ryuji pounded a fist to the locker beside him.   
  
"Why're you running? Huh?"  
  
"Leave me alone..." Mishima pleaded.   
  
_"She jumped and tried to kill herself!" _Ryuji snapped, outraged, pounding his fist again against the lockers. The cornered boy held his hands up.   
  
"Didn't you just see what happened?! They-- those... ghosts, they saved her! Isn't that good enough?!"  
  
"Do you know something about why Suzui jumped?" Ren questioned. He didn't like the way Mishima jumped out of his skin at the question as he turned to stare, wide-eyed, at him. The boy trembled, biting his lip as he sweated. Ren sighed. "Mishima, listen, neither of us are going to hurt you. We just want to know if you know anything about this. We're not accusing you of anything, but anything you can tell us would help."  
  
Mishima hesitated before he swallowed hard and nodded. "Suzui-- she was called out by Kamoshida!" He hung his head. "He-- he sometimes calls students to his office when he's angry. He seemed especially upset yesterday when he asked me to call her to his office... I... oh, God..."  
  
Ryuji blanched. "He didn't..." His eyes hardened. "That son of a bitch!"  
  
He was about to run off when a clicking noise came over the PA system.  
  
_"The school is under evacuation. Please proceed in an orderly fashion to your homerooms and remain there until guided out of the school by a school administrator or your instructor."_  
  
Ryuji growled and angrily stomped a foot on the ground. "God_ DAMMIT!"_  
  
"We can talk about this later." Ren reassured. "We'll be in massive trouble if we don't get to our classrooms."  
  
"But..."  
  
"It won't help our case even if we march to his office right now. We need to move."   
  
Ryuji huffed and puff and finally let out a frustrated cry as he kicked a locker and stormed off to his classroom while Ren and Mishima watched, bewildered. Mishima awkwardly cleared his throat. "We-- we should get moving," he said, "they'll probably lock the doors soon. Not that it'd do much to protect against a ghost..."  
  
Ren sighed and nodded, and the boys proceeded to Kawakami's classroom. The classroom was already almost full by the time they reached it, and Kawakami let out a relieved sigh as she watched them come in.  
  
"There you two are. Alright, that's everyone. Get into your rows and follow me in a single file line, starting with the row closest to the doors."  
  
Ren ducked his head as he obeyed silently, his cheeks reddening powerfully. They were led out of the school, and he felt mortified the whole time. Morgana was just as silent, hiding in his bag, bewildered by the hustle and bustle. They were responsible for the chaos, and while he knew they did the right thing, he felt overwhelmed, especially as he heard classmates whispering.  
_  
"Did you see that? Two ghosts... they saved Suzui."  
  
"I've never even seen a ghost before. I nearly had a heart attack."  
  
"I think they might have flown through us... did anyone else feel something woosh through them right before the ghosts caught her?"  
  
"What were they even doing here?!"  
  
"Eek! What if they return and try to possess someone?!"  
  
"I bet this is Amamiya's fault. Probably attracted some ghosts from the Ghost Zone after his stupid accident."  
  
"You think? Eep! They should expel him if that's the case."  
  
"We don't need a ghost magnet at our school."_  
  
Ren cringed as he heard the last whispers. Tears prickled at his eyes, and he hung his head. He jumped as he felt the person ahead of him pat his arm, but as he picked his head up to see Ann, her reassuring smile quickly warped to shock as she jumped at the sight of him for some reason. He paled.  
  
"A- Ann? Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
Instead of responding, she shoved a hand on his head and pushed his head down._ "Keep your eyes down! _Don't look at anyone!" she hissed.   
  
"But..."  
  
_"Now!"_ she snapped, and utterly bewildered, he obeyed. He was still aware she was giving him a wary look the whole time, up until they were finally allowed to leave and go home.   
  


* * *

  
Sojiro was silent the whole way home when he was finally permitted to come and pick up his ward. Ren felt exhausted and avoided looking at him the whole time, still red in the face. When they reached Leblanc, Sojiro quickly opened the door and ushered them in before he locked the door behind them. Morgana popped out of his bag, and the halfas stared warily at Sae Niijima, who was waiting, arms crossed, at one of the booth seats.  
  
"Have a seat." she ordered. Ren quickly obeyed and set his bag down beside him as he sat opposite of her, allowing Morgana to pop out and plant his paws on the tabletop. The human halfa sighed.  
  
"How much trouble are we in?" he questioned bluntly. Sojiro sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he walked up to the table and pulled up a bar stool to sit at the end of the table.  
  
"You're not being punished by me, but..."  
  
"The bureau is not happy._ At all." _Sae remarked. "I'm not really used to their protocols, as I'm just the prosecutor appointed on your behalf. I just came with a few questions."  
  
"What else we were supposed to do?!" Morgana protested. "Let the girl die?"  
  
"Some of them believe so, yes, but I'm not here to comment on that." She sighed and shook her head. "Let me get to the point. Did anyone see either of you transform?"  
  
"No. I don't think so." he answered. "I ducked under the window after everyone else had left the classroom... so I don't think anyone saw."  
  
"Okay." She leaned back, arms crossed. "That's the most important thing here. Can you tell me what you did after you caught the girl and left her by the nurses' office?"  
  
"We flew into the boys' bathroom on the second floor and transformed back to normal in the bathroom stalls." Morgana replied.  
  
"Good... good." Sae nodded to herself. "That covers the biggest concerns they have. I don't believe they'll officially punish either of you for acting as good samaritans, but they aren't be pleased. Fenton-sama should be here at the end of the week, and they'll have you talk to him. In the meanwhile, you two need to act normal and keep a low profile." She brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "Is there anything else you feel like you need to tell me before I leave?"  
  
Ren and Morgana shared a look briefly before looking back at her.   
  
"... We think we know why the girl jumped." Morgana said seriously.  
  
Sae and Sojiro's eyes widened as Ren nodded. "We talked to a boy in my class who told us a teacher-- Mr. Kamoshida-- called her to his office the day beforehand and seemed... agitated." He swallowed hard. "A... a friend I made has been investigating Kamoshida. Says Kamoshida beats his students... and I know he's been a creep to the girls." He shrugged. "A girl in my homeroom class-- Ann Takamaki-- broke down at the train station yesterday and told me he asked her to come to his apartment, and that she refused." He swallowed hard and met Sae's eyes. "I think... we think this teacher raped Shiho Suzui."  
  
Silence reigned for several moments.  
  
"... Okay." Sae nodded. "I want you to cease your investigation with your friend. I will look into this myself and contact Takamaki. Who's the boy who sent Suzui to this teacher, and who is your friend? I'd like to speak to him as well. Neither are in trouble, but now an investigation needs to be opened."  
  
"Yuuki Mishima and Ryuji Sakamoto."   
  
Sae wrote the names down and looked at them. "Thank you for your time. The bureau will be contacting you later this week, and in the meanwhile, I'll do what I can to open an investigation of this teacher. The girl who attempted suicide will be interviewed, and we'll see what she has to say about Kamoshida. Rest assured, if your suspicions are correct, he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We have a very high success rate in prosecution. If I need either of you, I will contact you again, and for future reference, if anything like this happens again, I want you to come to me first." She stood, and Ren stood with her. She shook his hand and Sojiro's and left without another word. No one knew quite what to say.  
  
"Well, there's a woman on a mission." Sojiro remarked dryly. He let out a tired sigh and shook his head. "Geez, what a mess..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Ren apologized quietly. "I know you said no heroics, but..."  
  
"No, no, this..." The man paused for a moment, as he fought for the words. "This is... a little different. No one else could have saved her, so... I'll overlook it this time. But..." He shrugged. "Neither of you did anything wrong, but..._ geez."_ He sighed again. "Do what she said and keep a low profile. For now, just keep your head down." He turned to the kitchen. "Sit tight; I'll go get you both something to eat. Both of you must be exhausted."  
  
A knocking came at the door, and everyone looked to see Futaba at the door.  
  
"Curry!" she yelled, muffled as it was by the door. Ren and Morgana snickered while Sojiro rolled his eyes and went to unlock the door and let his daughter in, who grinned. "Thank you!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Go have a seat and give me a few minutes." Sojiro said dryly. "Oh, and Ren-- don't be too late after school tomorrow. I have a doctor I want you to meet after school."  
  
Ren nodded while Futaba sat opposite of him and Morgana, beaming at them.   
  
"What you did was so cool!" she said excitedly. "What was it like, flying through walls and saving a life?!"  
  
"Go easy on them," Sojiro called from the kitchen, "they've both had a long day."  
  
Ren sighed and leaned back in the booth. "You have no idea..."  
  
There was a pause before Futaba leaned towards him and whispered.  
  
"Can I just doxx Kamoshida for you? 'Cause I'm gonna doxx Kamoshida for you."


	9. Takamaki and Okumura

The next day at school wasn't fun from the moment he stepped foot in the school.  
  
As soon as he stepped foot in the school, he was subject to wary looks and students quickly shuffling away from him, much to his exasperation. He just sighed forlornly and kept his head down as he heard the whispers and the rumor that had filled the school overnight.  
  
_"Eek! There's the haunted boy!"  
  
"I heard he's constantly haunted by ghosts after his accident. That's why those two ghosts showed up yesterday."  
  
"Keep clear of him, he's dangerous."  
  
"They ought to kick him out; he's putting everyone else in danger."  
  
"I don't care if those two ghosts were good, who knows what else is following him?"_  
  
Ren huffed with irritation. He knew if they even knew the truth of it, it probably would only make the situation and rumors worse.   
  
"Effin' idiots," Ryuji's voice came from his side, "just ignore 'em."  
  
Ren turned to see Ryuji looking irritated. He sighed with exhaustion. "Man, what a week. I got a call from a lawyer last night who said she was working with you and asked to know what I knew about Kamoshida. Even asked to schedule a time to talk to me face-to-face about it because she wants to prosecute him. Damn, if we get lucky..." He grinned. "You did good, Ren-Ren, Mona-Mona. You both did good."  
  
The human halfa smiled weakly. "Thanks. It's been... chaotic, but let's hope this leads to something. It'll make all the shit I'm getting worth it if Kamoshida gets out of here."  
  
"Don't pay anyone any mind," Ryuji said with a huff as the two made their way up the stairs, "they don't know nothin'. Now all we gotta do is answer whatever questions that lawyer asks us and watch his castle crumble, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
As they reached the top of the stairs, Ryuji playfully elbowed Ren and grinned. "Say... I'm not really feeling class today. Think you could put on another show and get the school evacuated again?"  
  
"Not so loud!" Morgana protested. Ren just snickered and elbowed Ryuji back.  
  
"I would, if my guardian wouldn't kill me."  
  
"Shit, dude, you're already halfway there, aren't you?"  
  
"Shut up, I'm not 'half-dead.' 'Half dead' isn't a thing."  
  
Ryuji stuck his tongue out at Ren. "Whatever you say, man." He turned in the direction of his classroom and smiled over his shoulder. "See you at lunch!"  
  
"See you at lunch." Ren agreed, and the two parted ways. Ren was passing the lockers not far from where they chatted when he heard something bang against the end of the lockers. He jumped and turned on his heel to see Ann Takamaki with her phone, leaning against the side of the lockers. She went beet red.   
  
"O- Oh! R-Ren! How are you?"  
  
"Ann." Ren addressed with a nervous smile. "I'm-- I'm fine, I guess. And you?"  
  
Ann smiled warmly. "Good, because Shiho is still alive. You know, if I had a way to thank the ghosts who saved her, I would."  
  
Ren waved a hand. "Oh, I'm sure they know Suzui's loved ones are happy for her rescue and were just... happy they were there in time. Anyways, how are you holding up? I imagine the whole thing was trying for you, too."  
  
Ann nodded. "Fine, fine. It's_ you_ I'm worried about."  
  
The boy raised an eyebrow. "Me?"  
  
"Yeah. You've got all these crazy rumors floating around about you, you know?" Her eyes widened. "N-Not that I believe any of them, or anything. But it must be hard for you."  
  
Ren sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, well... what can I do about it? I was already the odd one out. Not like this is a surprise, but enough about me. How's Suzui doing?"  
  
Ann crossed her arms and sighed forlornly. "She's--" She paused and looked at her phone. "Crap, is that the time?! We need to hurry or we'll be late!"  
  
She pulled him along to class, where they arrived just in time. Ren reddened as everyone stared at him, and when he sat down, his neighbors scooted as much as they could away from him. He huffed and rolled his eyes as he allowed Morgana to crawl into his desk, and as he pulled out his notebook from his backpack, he felt Ann tap his arm. He looked up to see her looking around them furtively before offering him a folded sheet of paper.  
  
"I saw you drop this on the way in. Here you go."  
  
Ren lifted his brows and took the paper. He was about to question why she thought it was his when he opened it and found a message on the inside.  
  
_Meet me on the roof at lunch. If anyone is there, we can find somewhere else to talk._  
  
He looked up at her, wide-eyed, but she had already turned her back to him, facing the board as Kawakami began role call.  
  


* * *

  
The rest of the day was more of the same. People gave Ren a wide berth while they stared at him apprehensively. The only students who didn't avoid him like he had the plague were Ann, Ryuji, and Mishima, much to his surprise. In fact, Mishima seemed fascinated by him for some reason, and Ren caught him staring more than once, albeit not in the hostile manner the others did. Ren didn't feel like questioning it; he was too busy worrying about what Ann wanted to say to him. The anxiety consumed him all the way to lunchtime, causing him to trip and slip more often than normal, and as he made his way up the stairs, he could feel his heart palpitating.   
  
He was there first, alone, and stared vacantly at the HVAC units. Not long after he arrived, he heard the door open, and turned on his heel to see Ryuji.  
  
"Yo." the blond greeted.   
  
"Yo." Ren said shakily. Ryuji frowned and approached him.  
  
"You doing alright? Are what people are saying getting to you?"  
  
"It's not that," Ren said, "it's... it's Ann. She wants to talk to me up here and wouldn't say why."  
  
Ryuji shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much. It's probably nothing too serious, yeah?"  
  
"But... why couldn't she just ask me earlier?"  
  
"Maybe it's something about Kamoshida? You know he was creeping on her, big time."  
  
"Well..."  
  
Both paused as they heard the door creak open. They turned to see Ann in the doorway, looking just as anxious as Ren. "There you are." Ann said, sounding exhausted. She came and walked towards them, arms crossed. "Thanks for being here." She looked at Sakamoto and then back to Ren. "Do you want to go talk somewhere else?"  
  
"Sakamoto can stay, if you don't mind." Ren quickly said. Ann shrugged.  
  
"That's... fine. He probably already knows, anyways."  
  
Ryuji cocked his head. "Knows about what?"  
  
Ann pursed her lips. "Well..." She hesitated before groaning. "Okay, well, I'm just going to come out and ask it. Ren, Morgana," at his name, Morgana popped out of the bag and propped himself on Ren's shoulder, "are you..." She swallowed hard. "Are you the ghosts that saved Shiho yesterday?"  
  
The halfas and Ryuji jerked back from the allegation. Ren's face drained of color while Ryuji scowled. "What are you talkin' about, Takamaki? They're _obviously _not ghosts."  
  
"Takamaki-san," Ren sputtered, "I don't--"  
  
"Please don't lie to me." Ann huffed, frustrated. _"Please. _I just... I really think it's you two, somehow."  
  
Ren stared at her for a moment before pushing his glasses up. "What makes you think it's us?" he questioned. Ann shrugged.  
  
"Well, y- yesterday, when we were evacuating... you looked upset, and then I saw your eyes. They... they were glowing red."  
  
"They what now?" Ren questioned, completely white in the face. Ann swallowed hard and nodded.  
  
"They were. I know they were. I saw your eyes. So then... then I decided to look at pictures of the ghosts in question. You, especially..." She pulled a picture of Ren's ghost form's face and held it up next to his face, comparing the two. The girl gasped gently. "It's even more of a match than I thought. Your faces look the same... and those eyes... they were the same shade of red."  
  
"I..." Ren sputtered helplessly as Ann pulled the picture away. Ryuji growled.  
  
"Takamaki--"  
  
"That's not all." Ann continued, ignoring Ryuji. "There's the fact you were accompanied by a ghost cat... with similar colors to Morgana." At her words, the cat's ears flipped back nervously. "Not to mention, you both were involved in a ghost portal accident. You mentioned your parents disowned you; it wasn't just because you survived, was it? It was because of what you had become, not that it makes it right. Then, finally..."   
  
She held up her phone and pressed a button, audio came out of it that made all of them feel their hearts drop.  
  
_"Say... I'm not really feeling class today. Think you could put on another show and get the school evacuated again?"  
  
"Not so loud!"   
  
"I would, if my guardian wouldn't kill me."  
  
"Shit, dude, you're already halfway there, aren't you?"  
  
"Shut up, I'm not 'half-dead.' 'Half dead' isn't a thing."  
  
_"God_ damn _it..." Ryuji whispered under his breath.  
  
"Sakamoto... what did you mean by 'halfway there'?" Ann questioned. Ryuji scowled.  
  
"I don't gotta tell you nothin'."  
  
Ren and Morgana just stared at her for several stunned seconds. Ann stared back, waiting for them to respond. After a moment, Ren cleared his throat and played with a lock of his hair.  
  
"... What would you do, if I were to admit to this?" he questioned.   
  
"What are you _doing?" _Ryuji hissed. Ann uncrossed her arms and smiled softly at him.  
  
"I wouldn't tell anyone, first of all. Second of all, I'd thank you both for what you did. You saved my best friend's life, and I can never repay you." She nodded her head. "And finally-- I'd offer whatever help I can to you both with this. I can tell whatever it is has been draining on you, and I want to help with whatever you're trying to do to take Kamoshida down."  
  
Ren swallowed hard. From his shoulder, Morgana's tail wagged back and forth repeatedly. Ryuji was scowling at her.  
  
"Guys," Morgana spoke up, finally breaking the silence, "I think it's okay. I think we can trust Lady Ann."  
  
Ann gasped as Ryuji turned his scowl to the cat. "Pipe _down!"_  
  
"You really talked..." she murmured. "So I wasn't imagining it earlier today? So then... then this is true, isn't it?"  
  
Ren let out a weary sigh and nodded. "... Yes, it's true. Everything you said is true. I'm... well, we're... half ghosts."  
  
Ann's eyes widened. "Half ghost?"  
  
"For lack of better words." Morgana elaborated. "The long and short of it is ectoplasm bound to our DNA during the accident and gave us ghost powers and the ability to transform into a ghost form. I was a normal cat who followed Ren in, and during the accident, his intelligence and memories were copied to me. Hence why I can speak."  
  
"You can't tell anyone." Ryuji snapped. "They could be in a lot of trouble if the wrong person finds out!"  
  
"I wouldn't! I wouldn't even tell Shiho!" Ann protested. "I especially wouldn't do that to the two I owe her life to." She beamed warmly at Ren and Morgana. "Seriously, thank you both so much. You don't know how grateful I am, and I'd be proud to support you however I can, like Ryuji is doing. Speaking of which..." She turned to Ryuji with a quirked eyebrow. "When and how did _you_ find out?"  
  
Ryuji shrugged. "Tuesday. I followed him when he was fighting back a transformation. He lost the fight and I saw."  
  
"Lost the fight...?"  
  
Morgana sighed. "I am taking quite well to my newfound powers. Ren isn't." He nudged Ren with his head. "He was resisting daily transformation, as one of our guardians ordered. He's since gotten on that because of that incident, but he's still slipping and tripping a lot because of nerves and the fact he's trying to suppress himself. It's not really his fault-- he grew up with anti-ghost sentiment, so he's internalized a lot of it. Plus there's the fact his parents disowned him." He shook his head. "He's... not taking the change well. At all."  
  
Ren flushed, and his nose wrinkled. "Dude, do you have to tell her all my emotional baggage?"   
  
Ann frowned and her eyes softened. "Oh, Amamiya-kun... _Ren_. Your parents are wrong-- _so_ wrong. This isn't _anything _to be ashamed of. You should be _proud _of this." She smiled weakly and clutched his hands in hers. "I-- I know words alone can't undo years of anti-ghost sentiment you had to live through, and what your parents did to you, but... I'd like to do whatever I can to help you get through this and accept who you are."  
  
Ren smiled weakly back. "Thank you, Takamaki-san."  
  
She shrugged. "No need to be formal. 'Ann' is still fine."  
  
"Ann..." He tested the name on his tongue, and it still rolled out easily. The boy nodded. "Thank you."  
  
"Anytime. Now..." She crossed her arms, and her smile faded. "About Kamoshida. I got a call yesterday from a lawyer who told me she was a prosecutor investigating Shiho's attempted suicide, and asked me for what I knew. Would you know anything about her?"  
  
"She's sort of our lawyer," Morgana explained, "she's, er, responsible for Ren's parents getting prosecuted. She's also our usual intermediary for legal concerns. She dropped by yesterday to ask about what happened."  
  
Ren nodded. "I told her what you told me the other day in Big Bang Burger. I know you said don't tell anyone, but--"  
  
"No, I understand." Ann nodded. "You did the right thing, if this means Kamoshida will be punished for what he did to her." She sighed. "I haven't been able to reach Shiho in the hospital yet. She's under strict suicide watch and they keep shooing me away for some reason. Hopefully she can feel safe enough to talk to that prosecutor. With luck..."  
  
"We need to have a backup plan." Morgana huffed. "If the case stalls, we'll have to do something to ensure he goes to jail. We were discussing it with Ryuji; we believe we have several options available to us. Now--"  
  
The door creaked. All of them nearly jumped out of their skin as they turned to see Haru looking utterly bewildered, peeking out from the cracked doorway. They could see the corners of a bag of soil she was holding shakily while it sagged, poking out in the cracked-open door.  
  
"Okumura-san," Ren breathed, face whitening, "how-- how much of that did you hear?"  
  
Haru stammered for a moment before she shrugged awkwardly, still not moving from behind the door. "Um... please don't panic, but... all-- all of it...?"  
  
Silence fell over the roof for a moment.  
  
_"Fuck."_


	10. Dr. Takemi

Ren immediately began internally kicking himself.  
  
_"You goddamn MORON, that's THREE PEOPLE who have figured out what we are already?"_  
  
"A- Amamiya-kun?"  
  
_"Fuck, what if one of them tells someone? What if we're outed?"_  
  
"Amamiya-kun--"  
  
_"Goddamn it the bureau is gonna KILL me for being so stupid and careless and--"_  
  
_"Amamiya-kun!"_  
  
Haru's snapping broke Ren out of his stunned reverie as he stared apprehensively at her. Her eyes weren't hostile-- just concerned and curious as she frowned at him. At some point during his reverie, she had dragged the soil through the door and used it to press the door closed, blocking off any other interlopers. Still, as his eyes darted away from the door to Haru, he felt his heart palpitate with anxiety. Morgana had similarly frozen up on his shoulder as Ren stammered.  
  
"Um... uh..."  
  
"You don't need to try denying anything," Haru said as calmly as she could, "I-- I heard Morgana-chan t- talking. I thought maybe I was hallucinating it, but... as I heard all of you go on and explain, I..."  
  
"You can't tell _anyone."_ Ann snapped. Ren turned to stare at her, wide-eyed, as she stepped in front of him, eyes full of fire. "If you hurt them,_ I'll--"_  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it!" Haru protested with a shake of the head. "I'm a little shocked, yes, but I have no intentions of telling anyone. In fact..." She smiled. "I want to help."  
  
Ren blinked. "You-- you do?"  
  
She nodded. "Like what Takamaki-san said. You and Morgana are heroes, and you need friends to support you with this, don't you?"  
  
Morgana trilled. "We do." he said. Haru stared at him for a moment, giggled, and stroked his head.  
  
"Then if you'd allow me... I'd like to join your little group. I think what both of you are is a beautiful, wonderful thing."  
  
Ren and Morgana shared a look, then shared a look with Ryuji and Ann. Both shrugged. "I think she's okay." Ryuji said, shoulders relaxing back. "I mean... she didn't go runnin' the minute Morgana started talkin'. Or when you were saying what you are."  
  
"I agreed." Morgana piped up. Finally, Ren swallowed hard and nodded.  
  
"I-- I would be honored to have anyone who would accept us at our side." he said. Haru beamed.  
  
"I'm so glad to hear it. Now..." She crossed her arms. "From what I understand, you want to take Kamoshida down?"  
  
Ann nodded. She waved her forward, and Haru came up to her to hear Ann whisper something in her ear. Haru gasped and paled._ "No!"_  
  
"Oh, yes. Shiho told me."  
  
Haru's face twisted to disgust. "That-- that _monster!" _She grimaced. "If it wouldn't get me arrested, I'd go fetch my wood-chopping ax right now and teach him what men who do that deserve!"  
  
The boys immediately cringed and instinctively lowered their hands in defense of their crotches while Ann nodded with a scowl. "I completely agree. That being said, we have to be subtle about this. The boys were about to tell me what they already had in mind."  
  
"Right," Morgana piped up, ignoring the human boys' continued discomfort, "so, here's our scenarios. My first plan was to overshadow him and make him confess his crimes, but the problem with that is... neither of us know how to overshadow someone yet, and Ren has-- or had, I don't know his position on it now-- moral qualms with overshadowing."  
  
"I could make an exception for this case, but..." Ren shrugged. "There's a problem with this idea. Even if we managed to teach ourselves how to overshadow quickly, the bureau will immediately be suspicious of his sudden change of heart. They could figure us out quickly, and then we'd be ass-deep in trouble."  
  
"So that's not a practical option unless we're truly desperate." Morgana explained. "Our next plan was to cajole some of the track team into testifying against Kamoshida, but..."  
  
"We didn't have any luck with that." Ryuji huffed. "They're all scared of me and freaked out by Ren. I think they're too scared to talk, too. At least to any of us."  
  
"... Which leads us to our third option," Ren said with a sigh, "the sitting duck option. We sit and wait while Prosecutor Niijima opens an investigation and hopefully arrests Kamoshida with Shiho's, Ryuji's, Mishima's, and Ann's testimonies."  
  
"That could take forever!" Ryuji huffed, crossing his arms. "Time he has to keep-- keep violating girls and beating boys. He's a menace who needs to be taken out as soon as possible."  
  
Haru looked over the stressed group. She pursed her lips for a moment, then nodded. "The other students may not talk to _us,"_ she started, "but what about someone else?"  
  
Ren blinked. "Someone else...?" He paused. "You mean Phantom-sama, right? That's our next plan."  
  
She nodded. "Phantom-sama-- he's your sensei, correct?"  
  
"That's right." Morgana confirmed. "He's coming to town on Sunday; we've only met with him through a computer, though, because he was on a mission in space when our accident occurred."  
  
Haru shrugged. "Why not ask him to use his influence when he comes to meet you? Explain the situation and ask him to make a statement inviting Shujin students to come testify about the case. Phantom-sama is highly regarded and respected in Japan, far more than Kamoshida is regarded at this school; aside from his own influence to get the authorities to investigate him, he could also embolden the rest of the students to speak out against Kamoshida."  
  
Ann gasped. "That-- that could work!"  
  
Ryuji, similarly, gaped. "Holy shit... I didn't think of that last part." He grinned and giggled giddily. "That was one of our ideas, and it sounds even better now, given the circumstances. We'd be able to finish him without having a trace of involvement. We don't get in trouble, and Kamoshida is out of the picture for good!" He reached over and shook Ren's shoulder. "Ren-Ren, we gotta do this!"  
  
Ren finally managed a smile as he pressed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That's-- that's good, Okumura-san."  
  
"Haru is fine," she said with a smile, "and don't mention it. Make sure you have a word with him tomorrow, when he arrives, about this."  
  
"In the meanwhile, we should keep a low profile," Morgana piped up, "and avoid Kamoshida. He'll get his reckoning very soon..."

* * *

  
"They're finally letting me visit Shiho in the hospital. I can't wait to see her again; alive and well... physically, at least. I'll help her with whatever comes next."  
  
"That's wonderful, Ann. Please tell her I'm glad she's okay and I wish her the best."  
  
"I'll be sure to do that!"  
  
The school day had ended, and Ann had stopped with Ren by the wall opposite the stairwell to chat with him. She was smiling hopefully as Ren smiled back. "So where are you headed now?"  
  
"Home," Ren said with a shrug, "my guardian says there's a doctor or something he wants me to meet." He hugged himself and shrugged. Ann raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Do you not like the doctor?"  
  
"It's mostly the needles." He sighed and uncrossed his arms. "You'd think I'd be used to it, being poked as much as I was after the accident, but I still hate it."  
  
She nodded. "I hate shots, too. I don't think many people like them. After all--"  
  
"Takamaki."  
  
The voice sent a chill down their spines, but Ann just turned towards the voice, eyes full of hatred, as Kamoshida approached the two. The man was scowling at them. "I need to speak to you. Come with me."  
  
Ann just moved in front of Ren, who had been glaring back at Kamoshida, but he stopped to give Ann a befuddled look as she stepped in front of him.  
  
"No."  
  
"No?" he questioned, voice eerily cold. She nodded.  
  
"No." she confirmed. "I have nothing to say to you. You have no more leverage over me."  
  
"Is the transfer student threatening you?" he demanded. "If so--"  
  
"No." she continued. "I've made it clear. No." She turned to Ren. "Anyways, I should get going. Why don't you follow me to--" She was cut short as Kamoshida grabbed her wrist. Ren gasped.  
  
"Ann!" He glared at Kamoshida. "Let go of her! Who said you can touch people without their permission?! She said no!"  
  
"Shut up, freak." Kamoshida glared at her. "If you don't come with me, I'll--"  
  
He was cut off as Ann began to scream. Immediately, he dropped her wrist and backed away as others turned to look. Ann cut off her screams and glared at him. "Get away from me, or I'll do it again and louder."  
  
"You little..." Kamoshida glared at Ren hatefully. "I know you had something to do with the ghosts yesterday."  
  
Ren just shrugged, his hands tucked in his pockets. "I bet Suzui has a lot to say about why she jumped..."  
  
"No thanks to you, you little--"  
  
"ANN!" All looked over as Ryuji came charging in, fists clenched as he glared at Kamoshida. "YOU! What did you do to her?! I heard her scream!"  
  
"Maybe you should ask your friend." he snapped. Ryuji scoffed.  
  
"Ren wouldn't lay a hand on her without her permission. You, on the other hand, you effin' perv--"  
  
"Enough!" Kamoshida took a step back, though his glare remained focused on Ren. "You should watch your back."  
  
"Maybe you ought to watch yours," Ryuji scoffed. "after all, I wouldn't be surprised if someone investigated why Suzui jumped..."  
  
The teacher glared at all of them powerfully. Morgana pulled himself out of the bag and propped his front half up on Ren's shoulder to join the glare back at him; he pinned his ears back and hissed, exposing his fangs. His claws came out and pulled into Ren's jacket a bit, but the boy allowed it in silence. Kamoshida took a step back, paused, and stared, hard, at the two as Morgana continued to hiss. Slowly, his eyes widened, and without another word, he turned away and walked back upstairs to his office. A moment's silence passed before Ryuji scoffed and kicked the ground as he turned his head to the others.  
  
"The hell was his problem now?"  
  
"He's mad I told him no." Ann said with an eye-roll. "Entitled men who can't accept that women aren't their slaves always get mad when they're told no."  
  
"What an asshole." Ryuji gritted his teeth. "Oh, man, if I wouldn't get expelled, I'd--"  
  
"Pipe down," Morgana hissed, "just bit your lip for a few more days. A few more days, and he'll be gone for good."

* * *

  
"Ah, you're back."  
  
Ren thought to himself it must have been the man's trademark greeting as he walked into the cafe. Sojiro was standing behind the counter, hands on his hips. "Thanks for not dawdling. Anyways..." He turned his gaze towards a gothic-looking woman with short, dark blue hair and dark clothing, amounting to a short dress and a black choker, who had been sitting at the barstool closest to the door. "This is your physician, Dr. Tae Takemi. She's received training to be able to care for people like you."  
  
The woman smiled and stood up. "You must be Ren Amamiya, the half ghost I've heard so much about."  
  
Ren managed a smile and bowed to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Takemi."  
  
"Likewise." She reached forward and shook his hand as he arose. "I've set up a clinic down the street as a general physician. I've had a word with your guardian about the specifics of what I'll be doing with you, but do you have time now to come with me so I can have a look at you and a chat?"  
  
Ren nodded. "Sure."  
  
"Give Morgana to me," Sojiro said, holding his hand out for the bag, "the bureau is still training a vet specifically for him. Dr. Takemi is specifically for your medical care."  
  
The boy nodded and handed the bag to Sojiro as Morgana popped his head out of the bag and grumbled. "I want to be a human, though..." he whined. Tae stared at him for a minute before giggling.   
  
"If you manage that, I'll happily be your doctor, too, but until then, I'm afraid cats aren't my specialty." She nodded at Ren. "Let's go."

* * *

The doctor led him to a small clinic set up as a normal doctor's office, with a small waiting room and a patient room with various medical posters about the health conditions and one about the dangers of smoking pinned to a cabinet above the sink in the room. She had him sit on a patient bed covered in paper, which crinkled as he sat down, and he waited while she disappeared to the back briefly. She came back in a white doctor's coat over her outfit and carried a small bag of supplies while a stethoscope hung around her neck.   
  
"Alright, let's get down to business." she started as she took a seat in the doctor's chair to sit at eye-level with him. "I'm going to do a physical exam and take a blood sample to test for normal human things as well as to test ectoplasm levels in your system. The bureau will be testing the samples, but they asked me to get a sample from you once a week." At Ren's wince, she nodded. "I know, it's not fun, but it's for your own good. We need to ensure your core is developing nicely. We'll be doing this every Saturday after school, which I've reserved for you. Before I get started, do you have any questions or concerns?"  
  
"Um..." Ren shrugged. "No, nothing I can think of."  
  
She smiled. "Good. I'll get started, then. Do me a favor please and take your shirt off for the exam."

* * *

  
After about ten minutes of poking and prodding, the doctor seemed finished.  
  
"Alright," she started, looking at her clipboard of notes and then him, "everything looks good. Your heart rate is normal, blood pressure is good, core looks normal... and I should hear back on the blood tests soon. I'll let you know the results next week, but if anything of importance comes up, I'll let you know earlier." She frowned. "The only thing of mild concern is the fact you're a little underweight. Halfas need to consume about 4,000 calories a day when not exercising, which gets pushed up to 8,000 calories when you're using your powers actively."  
  
Ren reddened. "I don't-- it's sort of embarrassing..."  
  
Tae shrugged. "Do you want me to talk to your guardian about it? You don't need to be embarrassed; the bureau is funding the family to give you as much as you need. Your guardians won't mind."  
  
"No, that's okay. I'll talk to them." He huffed. She nodded.  
  
"I'm told that Fenton's parents developed some energy bar specifically for their son to provide balanced nutrients and calories, and that he eats one once a day. I'll tell the bureau to have them make some for you, but don't let anyone else aside from Morgana, maybe, eat them." She looked at her clipboard. "Alright, now that that's done with, go ahead and transform so I can finish my exam."  
  
He stared at her.  
  
"Excuse me, what?"  
  
She scoffed. "What, did you think I wasn't going to do that? I need to ensure your vitals are still within an acceptable range in your ghost form. I'll try to finish quickly, but you're going to have to."  
  
Ren flushed and hesitated for a moment before groaning and willing the transformation as he hung his head and closed his eyes. Still not looking up, he peeled off the jacket and vest that came with the transformation and allowed her to, yet again, examine him. To his surprise, she barely blinked at the transformation and just moved in as she did before until finally, she finished. She wrote down her notes as he pulled his clothes back on.  
  
"Everything looks good. Your temperature is a little lower and your heartbeat slowed down, but that's normal." She smiled. "You're perfectly healthy aside from being a little underweight, but that's nothing that can't be fixed."  
  
"Great," Ren said with a nod as he pulled the jacket on, "is there anything else you need to do, or...?"  
  
"Nope. Head on home, guinea pig. Thanks for being so patient; I'll see you next week." He nodded and was about to change back when she paused and leaned in, examining his coat. He flushed again.   
  
"Um..."  
  
"Your outfit's adorable." she finally said with a smile as she pulled back. "I hope you're not planning on changing it. You look so cute in it."  
  
Ren's face only reddened further.


	11. Phantom-sama

The Sakura family waited.  
  
The cafe had been closed as they waited for the guest of the hour and Futaba's mother. Futaba was impatiently perched like a gargoyle in a booth tapping away at her phone as she sat opposite of Ren and Morgana. Ren just stared at the tabletop listlessly while Morgana curled up at his side. Sojiro merely stood by the front of the bar, doing another crossword puzzle in the newspaper. Silence had long since fallen over the room, and had yet to be broken.  
  
It wasn't until the bell over the door jingled and broke the silence did everyone snap to attention. Ren first saw a woman with shoulder-length, straight black hair and glasses walk in. Futaba and Sojiro lit up immediately, but waited for the second entrant to come in before making a move.  
  
A tall man with spiky black hair and soft blue eyes followed in after her; he carried a plain black bag slung over his shoulder. He walked with his shoulders straight, and had a calm smile on. He wore a NASA t-shirt, informal and comfortable. The woman who had led him in turned to him.  
  
"Everyone," the woman started, "this is Dr. Daniel Fenton."  
  
"Better known as Danny Phantom, but you all can just call me Danny." the man said cheerfully, in surprisingly fluent Japanese-- a switch from the online conference, where he had struggled and relied on a translator for help. The others stood and all bowed deeply to Danny, who, mildly bewildered, tried to bow back. "No need for formalities."  
  
Futaba finally took the opportunity to run forward towards her mother as she arose. The woman chuckled and embraced her daughter as Futaba threw her arms around her. "Welcome home, Mom!"  
  
"I'm happy to see you, too, Futaba." She pulled away and smiled at Sojiro, who was smiling warmly back. "Sojiro."  
  
"Wakaba." he said warmly. "Welcome home."  
  
She scanned the room and quickly, her eyes landed on Ren and Morgana. She beamed. "Oh, you two-- Ren and Morgana!" She approached and shook hands with Ren and reached up to where Morgana was perched on Ren's shoulder to shake his paw. "It's good to finally meet the both of you. I hope you've been settling in well, aside from the incident on the 15th."  
  
Ren nodded. "We have been. Sakura-san has been very gracious, and your daughter has quickly become like a sister to me and Morgana."  
  
Wakaba's eyes widened slightly, and she turned to her daughter, who stood, hands behind her back and looking proud. "Really?"  
  
"Really." Futaba confirmed. "They're both really nice and patient."  
  
The woman cracked a smile. "Well, I'll be. It's wonderful to hear you're getting along so well, but enough about us." She stood out of the way, allowing Danny to approach the two with a warm smile.  
  
"So we finally get to meet in person. Thanks for being so patient." Similar to Wakaba, he shook both Ren and Morgana's hand and paw respectively as they gazed at him in awe. "How have your powers been treating you so far?"  
  
"Good!" Morgana said cheerfully. Ren hesitated for a moment.  
  
"Er..."  
  
Danny sighed and smiled. "You don't have to finish that sentence if you don't want to. I understand; these powers can be a real pain in the ass at first. I personally was tripping all over the place and dropping things to the point I got banned from holding glassware at school. Heck, a few times, my pants fell down, one time when I was trying to impress a girl."  
  
"You... really?" Ren questioned, eyes widening. The man nodded.  
  
"Oh, yeah, _big time._ Probably worse than you." He grinned. "I heard about what you two did a few days ago. I'm impressed."  
  
"You are?" Ren sputtered. "You're... not mad?"  
  
Danny raised an eyebrow. "No. Why would I be? You two are the reason that girl is still alive. It's what I would expect out of my apprentices." He looked at the tables and then to the Sakuras. "Is it alright if we sit down and talk?"  
  
"By all means. I'm sorry I didn't offer sooner." Sojiro said quickly, snapping to attention. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"  
  
"If it's not any trouble, yes, please. How much?"  
  
Sojiro scoffed. "As if I would charge you for it. Make yourself at home."  
  
Danny smiled. "Thank you, Sakura-san. Now..." He turned to the two new halfas. "Please, let's sit."  
  
Wakaba sat on a barstool near the table while Futaba sat down on the barstool closest to the kitchen, staring quietly at the scene. Danny cleared his throat and put his hands on the table. "Alright, so... if I have the gist of the situation, you two were coerced to go into a portal that was supposed to be off, wasn't, and went off, right?" They nodded, and the man sighed. "Story of my life, but mine was sort of my fault because I just walked into it because my now-wife said it would be cool to look inside."  
  
"You're married?" Ren questioned. Danny nodded.  
  
"Yes. She came with me to Tokyo; she's an environmental biologist. Got hired by the city to help with 'going green' while we're here. Anyways!" He cleared his throat. "The Japaneses Bureau of Ghost Activities asked me to come in and teach you all I know. The bureau purchased a large, empty warehouse in the city for us to practice in; I'd like to work with you at least four times a week for at least an hour after school in this regard."  
  
Sojiro finally came up to the table with the cups of coffee and placed one in front of Danny and one in front of Ren. He scoffed. "If you think they need more, don't hesitate to tell them they need more practice."  
  
Danny shrugged. "Right. Thank you." He smiled. "So, that's the gist of it. I'll pick you up near the train station in Shibuya on Monday through Thursday after school and lead you to where we'll be practicing starting this week on Tuesday. Do you have any questions?"  
  
Ren hesitated. He glanced over at his watchful guardians before he turned back to Danny and shrugged. "Um..."  
  
"Are you going to ask me about the Kamoshida case?" Danny asked dryly. Ren's eyes widened.  
  
"How did you--"  
  
He shrugged. "Got an anonymous tip from someone calling themselves Alibaba. Said you needed help with dealing with this teacher who's been put under investigation for the rape of that girl." He smiled. "Don't worry; tomorrow, I'll be doing a press conference, and I want you to come with me. I'll handle the situation with Prosecutor Niijima." He grinned. "Just sit back and watch the show."  
  
"O- Oh." Ren glanced over at Futaba, who just smiled deviously back. He turned back to Danny and smiled. "Thank you, sir."  
  
"Don't mention it," he dismissed with a wave of the hand, "it's my job to handle scum like that. I just need you to stay out of the way for the rest of the case."  
  
"Do as he says." Sojiro piped up from next to Wakaba. "You've already gotten involved enough. Let the adults handle this one, okay?"  
  
"Anyways," Danny continued, "any other questions? Can be about anything. I'm an open book."  
  
Morgana propped himself up on the table as Danny reached to take a sip of coffee. "How are you speaking Japanese so well? You needed a translator's help last time."  
  
Danny smiled. "Oh, about that..." He rolled his shoulders. "You know how there hasn't really been too many major ghost attacks in the last few years? That's because most of the ghosts that were causing trouble were imprisoned in the Ghost Zone; the old ghost in charge that framed me for kidnapping when I was a teenager got deposed and replaced with a good ghost. One of the ones in there, a wish-granting ghost, was up for parole, so she got let out early in exchange for her agreement to stay out of trouble and to grant me a wish. I asked her to grant Japanese language fluency to my wife and I, and she agreed to the terms." He sighed. "I don't normally like making that sort of move, but we didn't have much in the way of other options." He paused. "Speaking of which, if you run into her for some reason, don't make any wishes. She acts like a stereotypical genie that can twist wishes out of their desired context. We had to be really careful just with the wish for fluency in Japanese."  
  
The man paused, and his eyes widened. "Oh! Can't believe I forgot to ask you this."  
  
"Ask us what?" Morgana questioned. Danny leveled his eyes with Ren.  
  
"Is there anyone that may have discovered what you are?"  
  
Sojiro nearly spat out his own coffee while Wakaba cringed at the question. Futaba ducked her head toward her lap and pulled her headphones over her ears. The barista turned to glare at Ren. "Ren? Did you tell anyone?"  
  
Ren shook his head. "Not intentionally!"  
  
Silence filled the room as he realized his mistake. Ren's face whitened as he shrank back at everyone else's stares.  
  
"God damn it."  
  
_"What happened?" _Sojiro phrased the question with a cold tone of voice and a hard stare. Wakaba stared at him in silence, too, and Ren felt like sinking into the ground and dying.  
  
"Umm..."  
  
"It was an accident." Morgana piped up in his defense. Danny took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.  
  
"Okay," he breathed, "explain from the top, slow and calm. If it was really an accident, maybe your guardians can overlook it."  
  
Ren and Morgana shared a look. The boy tapped his fingers on the table anxiously as he looked around the room, anywhere but meeting the adults' eyes as he took a breath and began recanting everything that occurred. Ryuji, Ann, and Haru-- all friends, he swore up and down. When he was done, his guardians still appeared perturbed, but Danny's shoulders had relaxed. He nodded.  
  
"Okay. While you really need to keep up on regular transformation and be a lot more careful about where you talk-- okay." He took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment. "Can you contact them and tell them to come here? I would like to speak to them. If not today, then soon."  
  
"Yes, Fenton-sensei." Ren acquiesced. He first created a group chat, added them all, and began to text.  
  
_Ren: Sorry for adding all of you to a group without warning, but I need your attention.  
  
Ryuji: No problem. What's up?  
  
Ann: Is something wrong?  
  
Ren: My guardians and Phantom found out that you all found out.  
  
Ryuji: shit.  
  
Haru: Are they mad?  
  
Ren: I think at least a little, but they're holding it in well.   
  
Ren: Phantom-sama wants to speak to all of you ASAP. He's wondering if you guys can come over to Yongen, to Leblanc like right now.  
  
Ren: None of you are in trouble. It's me whose ass is on the line.  
  
Ryuji: I'm coming over right now!  
  
Ann: OMW  
  
Haru: On my way.  
  
Ren: Thanks, guys._

* * *

  
Haru ended up reaching the cafe first.  
  
The girl marveled at the rustic cafe for a moment before spying the group. Her eyes widened as Danny looked to Ren. "Which one is this?"  
  
"Haru Okumura."  
  
Danny rose to his feet and approached the stunned girl. He stuck a hand out and smiled. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm their teacher, Danny Fenton. Thanks for coming on such short notice."  
  
Haru forced herself out of her stupor and nodded vigorously as she shook his hand. "T- The pleasure is all mine, Fenton-sama!"  
  
"Have a seat." Sojiro encouraged. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"  
  
The girl beamed and nodded. "Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble."  
  
Sojiro shook his head. "No trouble at all--" He was interrupted by the sound of the door jingling, and all looked up to see two blondes come through the door, though both stopped short as they spied Fenton. Their eyes widened, and they stared at him silently as he approached them.  
  
"Hi," he greeted, "I'm Danny Fenton, their teacher. I take it you two are Ryuji and Ann?"  
  
Ryuji gawped. "Are-- are you Phantom-sama?" Danny nodded, and Ryuji gasped. He and Ann bowed deeply as Danny scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"No need for formalities. Thank you two for coming on short notice."  
  
Sojiro looked up from the kitchen. "Either of you two want coffee while I'm at it?"  
  
"Yes, please!" Ann said cheerfully. "I love coffee!"  
  
Ryuji shrugged. "I mean... I've never really had it before, but--"  
  
Sojiro scoffed. "Then today's the day you try it. Have a seat."  
  
Wakaba giggled. "I wouldn't argue with him if I were you. There's no convincing him otherwise when it comes to coffee."  
  
Sojiro went back to prep the coffee while Danny gestured for them to sit down, to which they quickly obeyed. They stared in rapt attention as he spoke. "Alright, so, I'll get right to it. I know that you know what we three are."  
  
"Halfas, yeah?" Ryuji blurted. Ann and Haru gave him a withering look, and he crossed his arms. "What? I'm just saying. It's not a bad thing or anythin'."  
  
Danny just laughed and nodded. "That's right. Anyways, the long and short of it is no one was supposed to find out aside from his guardians and their daughter, his doctor, and a few scientists in the bureau, but here we are. Now, I'm told you all found out by accident, and as far as I know, haven't told anyone else. Right?"  
  
"Right." they chorused. Danny crossed his arms.   
  
"So..." He looked over them carefully. "Tell me, what do you intend to do with this knowledge?"  
  
"Help him out when he needs it and be a friend." Ryuji piped up. "He's a nice dude, and the only guy at school who doesn't treat me like a delinquent or a nuisance. It's just what friends do, right? Supporting each other."  
  
"Same, for the most part." Ann agreed with a serious nod. "He saved my best friend's life. I mean it when I say I would never, ever,_ ever_ tell anyone, not after all he's done for me out of the goodness of his heart."  
  
Haru shrugged. "We're friends is all. That's enough for me to want to help him and keep his secret."  
  
Danny looked over them all with an inscrutable expression for a few uncomfortable moments of silence. Sojiro used the opportunity to quietly pass the kids their coffee, which Ann and Haru sipped nervously before their eyes widened and they looked to the man who made it. "Wow, Sakura-san!" Haru said cheerfully. "This is delicious!"  
  
"Seriously," Ann agreed, licking her lips. Sojiro grinned.   
  
"Thanks. I'm proud of my coffee, so feel free to come by any time for a cup."  
  
Ryuji hesitantly picked up his cup and sipped from it, but immediately, he jerked his head away and grimaced, his nose wrinkling. _"Blech! Gah!_ It's so _bitter!"  
  
_"Ryuji!" Ann hissed. "Behave yourself!"  
  
"Scrub." Futaba muttered from her perch. Sojiro snorted out a laugh.  
  
"I didn't like coffee at your age, either. Hang on, I'll get you some water."  
  
As soon as he brought him the glass, Ryuji chugged it down and gasped. "This has gotta be cruel and unusual punishment!"  
  
Danny laughed aloud. "Ha! You remind me of my best friend, Tucker. He hates coffee too." He chuckled. "One time my wife, Sam, offered him 'coffee as bitter and black as her soul' and I swear he almost started puking at the table."  
  
"Bleh, that bitter taste just won't leave my mouth! People drink this _without _sugar and cream?!" Ryuji cried, balking. "That's so nasty!"  
  
"It can be good, if you like coffee." Ren said with a shrug. Danny nodded.  
  
"I don't care for it black, either, but my wife likes it like that, but I think mostly just for the aesthetic. That being said, if you ever meet her, don't tell her I said that. She'll kill me. Anyways..." He shook his head. "We're getting off-topic. I think you kids seem nice and sincere, so I'm going to take a chance on you all." He looked at Ren. "I have a good feeling about you kids."  
  
"We won't let you down, Phantom-sama!" Ryuji declared as he stood up. Danny put his hand on his hip.  
  
"Good, glad to hear it. I'm starting training with him next week; you're welcome to come with as moral support if you like."  
  
Futaba perked up and stuttered, then hunched over shyly. Wakaba gave her a quizzical look and patted her arm. "Futaba, honey, what's wrong?"  
  
"Hnnng..." She shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
Danny raised an eyebrow. "With your parents' permission, would you like to come with, Futaba-chan?"  
  
Futaba's eyes widened, and she nodded. "R- Really?! Can I?!"  
  
Sojiro grumbled to himself and stroked his heard. "I don't know..."  
  
"Oh, let her." Wakaba said with a wave of the hand. "She'll be fine. There's an observation room they'll all be watching from, and it's good for her to want to get outside. Don't discourage that."  
  
Sojiro sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "That's true. Alright."   
  
Futaba lit up like a kid on Christmas and beamed. "Mission start!" she said cheerfully. Ann giggled.  
  
"You know, Futaba-chan, I know you're shy, but none of us bite. None of us are judging you, either."  
  
Futaba blinked and nodded slowly. "I-- okay."  
  
"We'll work on it." Ren said calmly. "Don't push yourself, Futaba."  
  
"Shoot," Danny looked at his phone and clicked his tongue, "that the time already?" He looked back up. "Sorry to do this, but I gotta run home. It was nice to meet everyone, and Ren, Morgana?"   
  
"Yes, Sensei?" Morgana questioned, pushing himself up on the table. Danny shrugged.  
  
"Just make sure you're more careful from now on about where you talk about private stuff, alright?" Both shrank back a bit while Danny turned to the Sakuras. "Thank you all for your hospitality. It was very nice meeting you. Sakura-san, your coffee was excellent."  
  
"Come back anytime," Sojiro encouraged, "it's on the house."

* * *

  
Danny headed home to the apartment he and Sam were renting for the few months they would likely be spending in Tokyo. As he entered, he could smell veggies being fried in the kitchen, and he followed the scent to see her stir-frying, cheerfully tossing the contents of the pan in a circle with a flick of the wrist. She looked up at the sound of approaching feet and smiled.  
  
"Hey. How was it?"  
  
"Good. They all seem like nice kids; the guardians seem a little stern, but patient with him. I think it'll work out well." He looked at what she was doing. "Can I do anything to help you?"  
  
She nodded towards a spice rack. "I think this needs a little more spice. Grab me the black pepper, please?"  
  
"Sure thing." He grabbed it and handed it to her. She smiled.  
  
"Thanks." She tossed the vegetables again. "Can you go microwave one of the packages of brown rice?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
He did as she ordered and popped a bag of rice in the microwave. The man heard her sigh. "I'm glad to hear his guardians are nicer to him than his brain-dead parents." she snapped as he finished inputting the time on the microwave. "They did_ exactly_ what you were afraid of for a long time before you came out to your parents."  
  
He sighed. "I know, right? I feel so bad for him... poor kid didn't deserve any of that. I got lucky with my parents."  
  
She shook her head. "Remember how pissed your parents were when they got told the whole story about how poor Amamiya got disowned?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, big time." he agreed, watching the bag puff up in the microwave, his arms crossed. "I thought my mom was gonna blow a fuse, she was so mad. I think part of why they were so pissed was because they know I was scared of that reaction myself, so to actually see it happen was horrifying."  
  
She shrugged as she turned off the heat on the stove. "At least they're going to a better home." Her nose wrinkled. "I hope he manages to get therapy and work past all the bullshit he had to live with."  
  
"Yeah, me too." He smiled at her as he pulled the rice out of the microwave. "How was your day?"  
  
"Boring. Barely did anything because they were introducing me to all their systems." She shrugged. "Haven't really had the chance to go out and inspect the city or recommend anything." She smiled. "I heard from Tucker and Valerie today. Tucker says the city's pretty peaceful right now, but boring without us. He wants to visit in a few weeks. Valerie and Dani are busy as usual keeping the peace while you're away." She paused. "Also, Valerie told me to tell you to tell the new halfas to stay away from ghost dogs." She rolled her eyes. "I don't think she's gotten over it yet."  
  
"Well, hey, she got over being mad at me. It's just a precautionary warning." He brought over the brown rice. "So, uh, how's the, er, morning sickness? Still bothering you?"  
  
"Yup." she deadpanned. She glared at her gut. "Hey, crotchspawn. I know you're probably the size of a walnut right now, but stop making me puke so much." She gave him a withering stare as he giggled. "You know, it's your fault, jackass. You get to deal with them if and when they start flying around and phasing off diapers... _buuut _I'll spare you that for now." She winked at him. "You've got enough to deal with right now, especially given that press conference tomorrow. I know you hate doing those."  
  
Danny shrugged. "Eh. If those kids can put up with what they do, then... I can put up with this."


	12. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dumped all my chapters. For the few who like this story, enjoy.

Ren anxiously toyed with a lock of white hair.  
  
He, Phantom, and Morgana sat alone inside a room adjacent to the press conference room of the Diet Building, where they waited to be called in. Ren could hear murmuring on the other side of the wall, and his heart palpitated as he tugged on his ghostly white hair.   
  
They had been ushered into the room by security guards who had then shut the door and guarded the entrance, leaving the three alone. Ren wasn't sure he ever felt this nervous in his life, and internally panicked about messing up in front of the crowd._ "What if I go invisible or intangible, or worse, transform back in front of everyone?"_  
  
"Ren, are you doing okay?"  
  
Ren looked up at Danny, who similarly waited in ghost form. The man sat opposite of him in a cozy-looking chair, one leg crossed over the other idly. The boy shrugged. "I mean... a little." He paused and threw a hand on his face. "I mean... yes. I'm good. Thank you."  
  
Danny smiled. "I'll be doing most of the talking, don't worry. Just stand there and look pretty." He shrugged. "You did drama before all of this, right?"  
  
"That was different," Ren huffed, "I didn't have to worry about tripping over ghost powers then."  
  
"I see... well." Danny shrugged. "You won't be doing much talking, I assure you. Just stare at the back of the room, at the far wall. No one will know the difference between that and looking at the crowd." He leaned back a bit. "Is there anything either of you want to ask me before we go in?"  
  
Morgana nodded, his little legs swinging back and forth over the edge of the couch he shared with Joker. "This probably wasn't what you were thinking of by questions, but-- weren't you once an enemy of the American government's ghost hunters? How did all of that change to the Japanese government openly welcoming us all?"  
  
Danny shrugged again. "It's sort of a long story, but in general, they realized I wasn't a threat. I'll give you the short version." He took a breath. "The first division of government-funded ghost hunting in America was a group called the Guys in White, but they've since been absorbed into the American Bureau of Ghost Activities. Anyways, using some..." The man paused and sought for words, waving a hand in circles for a moment before continuing. "... _unusual means _that I'll tell you about in the future, I managed to convince them I wasn't a threat or an enemy. Nevertheless, they eventually managed to discern my true identity, and approached me with a choice. Either I could start playing by their rules and regulations and help with their studies on ghosts, or I was to stop my vigilantism at once. In either case, they were going to make me tell the truth about who and what I was to my parents."  
  
"I take it you chose to join them." Morgana said dryly. Danny nodded.  
  
"I did. I don't always agree with them, but they share useful information and technology with other countries' ghost hunting divisions... such as the very top-secret knowledge that halfas like myself exist. I suppose if I hadn't, they would have had no idea what to do with you two."  
  
Ren grimaced and looked away. "I take it your parents didn't disown you, huh?"  
  
Danny's eyes softened. "I mean... no, they accepted it. They were... pretty outraged to hear what happened to you." He sighed. "That was part of the reason Dr. Sakura was in America so long. She had to deal with the American and the Japanese governments bickering over who would get custody of you. The Americans wanted to place you with my parents. The Japanese government demanded you stay in Japan."   
  
The boy quirked an eyebrow. "Your parents would have taken me?"  
  
"They were willing, yeah." Danny shrugged. "But I think it's for the best you stay in Tokyo. My parents are... _eccentric_. And they have a lot of anti-ghost devices they try to rig to not target halfas, but there's been... a few incidents..." He chuckled dryly with a shake of the head. "They were so apologetic every time, but yeah, Fentonworks is a bit of a death trap if you don't know what you're doing. Besides, you seem like you're settling in well with the Sakura family, and Amity Park is far from here. You probably would have been uncomfortable to be so far away." He frowned. "Your birth parents are wrong, not you. Never forget that."  
  
He looked as though he was going to say something else when the door opened, and a security guard came in. "Sir, they're ready for all of you. I'll guide you to the stage."  
  
Danny nodded and turned to smile at the two younger halfas. "Looks like it's showtime. Come on."  
  
Ren swallowed hard and nodded. He rose to his feet while Morgana just floated upward, and they followed Danny who followed the guard. Immediately, they were led into a room full to the brim of reporters, who immediately began snapping pictures of the trio and chattering excitedly. Ren flinched back and hugged himself, Danny seemed unperturbed, and Morgana soaked up the attention, beaming and waving at the cameras.   
  
They were finally led onstage, where a woman was introducing the three of them. "... I now turn the stage to Phantom-sama and his two new apprentices, who he'll be discussing today." She turned to him and bowed. He bowed back and walked to the microphones as a chorus of cheers and applause broke out. Ren and Morgana stood off behind him and waved, Ren awkwardly and Morgana vigorously, as the crowd continued. They had to wait for a minute for the excitement to die down, though the clicking of cameras never ceased. Ren spied a sea of cameras and microphones and people with recorders and some typing notes rapidly. He snapped himself out of his reverie and turned to stare at the bare back wall as his sensei began speaking and he felt the heat of stage-lights upon him.  
  
"Hello, everyone. Thank you for having me here today; I know I'm far from home, and I appreciate the Diet giving us time to discuss an important matter. I won't dance around the subject; I'm here to address the elephant in the room... well. The entire country, I suppose." Danny started. "I'll get straight to it: the rumors are true. Two ghosts saved a girl at Shujin Academy, and are... like me. Not quite your typical ghosts. I tracked them down after the incident and talked to them, and good news: they have agreed become my apprentices." Danny smiled and turned to the two as Mona was beaming and Joker was nervously twirling a lock of hair around his finger. "Come here."  
  
They wordlessly nodded and obeyed, stepping forward. Danny directed them, putting Ren to his right and Mona to his left. He put a hand on each of their shoulders closest to him. "This one doesn't want me to tell you his name and we haven't come up with a good code name for him yet," he shook Ren's shoulder, "and this one I'm gonna call Mona." he shook Morgana's shoulder. "I'm going to address their situation first; no one has anything to fear from them. They're on our side, and let me tell you, I can't say enough good things about these two."

He grinned. "They're smart, they're kind, and a hell of a lot more mature than I was when I started my superhero stuff." Morgana beamed and Ren flushed further before Danny continued. "They are under my watch and my responsibility. I'm going to teach them everything I know; soon, they'll be flying around, saving lives, kicking butt, shooting off witty banter--" He paused as the crowd snickered as Ren's face twisted into disdain. He turned to look at his apprentice, his nose wrinkling, as Ren steeled his facial expression in an instant and looked away. The move only drew more snickers. Danny smirked. "What? Got a problem with witty banter?" Ren bit his lip and shook his head, and Danny shook his head right back. "No, no. You made a face. Speak up."  
  
"Sensei--"  
  
"As your Sensei, I'm ordering you to speak your mind."  
  
Ren stared at him for a moment before scoffing and looking away. "No problem with witty banter... except for yours, Sensei." he deadpanned. The crowd snickered, and Danny smirked.  
  
"Is that right? Oh, watch your back, kid. I'll be keeping track of bad jokes _you_ make. You know what?" He crossed his arms. "I dub your code name to be Joker. Congrats, Joker!" He patted his back playfully, making him cough briefly. Ren grumbled as the crowd chuckled, and he ducked his head as Danny pulled away and shrugged.  
  
"Phantom-sensei," Joker grumbled, "you're embarrassing me."  
  
Danny grinned deviously. "Welcome to the rest of your life. Anyways!" He looked between the two new halfas. "Do either of you have anything you'd like to add?"  
  
Mona raised his paw. There was a chorus of chuckles as Mona leaned in towards the microphone.  
  
"Hello!" he greeted. "I'm Mona. I'm proud to serving alongside my partner, Joker!"  
  
Expectant eyes turned to Ren, who felt like the entire world was staring at him. Nevertheless, he gulped and leaned in next. "What he said?"   
  
"Oh, come on, you can do better than that." Danny urged. He patted his shoulder. "Sorry, folks, this one's pretty shy. C'mon, Joker... you can do this."  
  
Ren huffed and bowed his head. "I'm... really new to all of this, but I'll do my best to help everyone however I can with my partner, Mona. I hope I don't disappoint." Joker pulled away from the microphones, flushed. He turned to look at Mona, who was beaming, then Danny. "How'd I do?" he whispered. Danny grinned.   
  
"You're both doing just fine." He turned back to the crowd. "However, I need to make it clear that at the moment, neither are ready to be deployed. Both need extensive training that I will oversee for about a year or two. We will keep you all updated; this is going to be done in a far more orderly, organized fashion than when I got turned out into Amity Park. At most, I may deploy them to assist in rescue operations. They both came to Tokyo because they were seeking a new and better home, so I made it clear that if they are to stay, they are to help the people of their new home like I have helped the people of my home. It's unlikely you'll see either of them in public much for the time being-- especially given how shy Joker is-- but please, try to make them feel welcome. That's all they ask in return."  
  
The man cleared his throat. "There's one other thing I want to mention while they're here. The police are conducting an investigation of Shujin Academy staff; if anyone has any information about abuse or inappropriate conduct from any of the faculty, please go to the police and submit an anonymous report. I have been given an anonymous tip that an instructor has been sexually and physically assaulting his students, and would like to help put an end to this. I and the Tokyo police will, personally, help protect anyone who feels threatened about reporting a teacher. Please, have faith in us, be brave, and speak out against the injustice you have seen or experienced." He turned to the guards and nodded as they moved to usher the two off the stage while Danny stayed behind. Curious murmurs arose, but Danny shrugged. "Now that that's done with, they need to be somewhere soon, so I will be taking up questions on their behalf." He turned to the two, who paused briefly. "Goodbye, you two. I'll see you later."   
  
"Goodbye, Phantom-sensei." Morgana said, and the two bowed deeply before being escorted away. They were taken off towards a private room near the exit, where they changed back to normal and hurried out unnoticed. Ren found himself grateful for the escape as he took a breath of Tokyo city air upon escaping. His eyes squinted in the sunlight, briefly, before he adjusted and looked around the back exit, a barren, concrete area. He heard someone whistle, and whipped his head to his left to see Sojiro waiting, a hand on his hip.  
  
"There you two are. Come on," he urged, waving them along, "you've missed enough school today as it is."

* * *

  
Barely anyone noticed Ren come to school late at lunch time, carrying a slip from the office from where Sojiro had signed him in. Everyone was too busy hunching over phones and whispering excitedly no matter where he went in the school.  
  
_"Did you see it?!"  
  
"Of course I did, I skipped class to watch it!"  
  
"I can't believe we were lucky enough to be the first people to see Phantom-sama's apprentices!"  
  
"Joker is so cute."  
  
"Are we forgetting the fact there's a talking ghost cat? Because the talking ghost cat was even cuter."  
  
"Yeah, but Joker's shyness was so cute."  
  
"Are we not going to discuss the fact there's a talking ghost cat?"  
  
"Since when does Phantom-sama speak Japanese? He has an American accent, but still."  
  
"Phantom-sama is so handsome. I wonder if he's taken?"  
  
"Wouldn't that be necrophilia?"  
  
"Bold of you to assume I wouldn't be into that if it was with Phantom... or Joker, even."  
  
"I wonder if he's into girls or boys?"  
  
"It's not gay that I have a crush on him. It's not gay if he's dead."  
  
"I can't believe Tokyo is getting their own ghost protectors! This is so cool!"  
  
"But man... the investigation into teachers here. Do you think Kamoshida is going to get in trouble?"  
  
"Now that Phantom-sama himself said something, I wonder how this'll all go down."  
  
"I heard a rumor Suzui-san jumped because Kamoshida raped her. If it's true, Phantom-sama is going to arrest him for sure."  
_  
_"I used to be on the volleyball team but quit because I couldn't take it... I'm going to the cops after school and filing a report. Phantom-sama's orders, after all."_  
  
Ren felt his face get redder and redder as he kept his head down and hurried toward his locker to fetch his books for his next period. He felt his eyes begin to water and burn as he drew near it. His throat burned and his nose begin to run, but he dismissed it as allergies and wiped his face with his sleeve. He heard Morgana sniffling, too.   
  
"Ugh... my eyes burn... so does my throat." the cat grumbled. "I wonder if they're using some cleaning agent in the hallway that's irritating me."  
  
"It's irritating me, too." Ren agreed as he picked his head up and was about to reach for the lock on his locker, which seemed... faintly red, for some reason. He almost put his hand on it when someone body-slammed him to the ground. He and Morgana yelped as they were knocked down, and simultaneously looked up to see who had tackled Ren. Ren's eyes widened as he saw Ryuji pull himself up with eyes wide as saucers as he stared at Ren.  
  
"Did you touch your locker?!" he gasped, panting heavily. Ren shook his head, and he let out a breath of relief. "Oh, thank God!"  
  
"Why, what's wrong with it? Why did you tackle me? You could have hurt Morgana! I could have fallen on him!"  
  
The blond shook his head and rose to his feet. He extended a hand to Ren, who stood up with him. Ryuji seemed completely oblivious to the bewildered stares onlookers were giving him as he panted. "You don't understand," he breathed, "Kamoshida-- he had Mishima rub somethin' called 'blood blossom extract' all over it. Mishima just broke down and told me, so I ran over quick as I could to stop you when you weren't answering your phone."  
  
Ren heard panting, and he looked up to see Mishima hurrying towards them, panting heavily. Ann and Haru trailed after him, and they, too, breathed in relief. Mishima was red in the face, eyes still tearing up, as he panted tiredly.   
  
"A- Amamiya-kun, I'm so sorry!" he cried, bowing deeply. "Kamoshida-- he-- he said he would beat me if I didn't do it! I-- I was so cowardly, but-- but Phantom-sama gave me courage to speak out! _Don't touch your locker!"_  
  
Ryuji's eyes shot towards the stairway, where the aforementioned teacher stared in silence. His eyes were cold and hateful, and he grimaced in disgust as the blond boy stepped forward. "You asshole! What did you try to do to him?!"  
  
Kamoshida didn't say anything. He just turned away and walked up the stairs, but not without stopping to give Ren and Morgana one last look of utter hatred and disgust. The kids all matched the look of hatred and disgust back at him, and he scoffed before walking about. Ryuji growled. "That piece of--"  
  
"Ryuji." Ren said, eyes watering still and getting puffier. "It's okay. He'll get his comeuppance soon and he knows it."  
  
Ryuji scowled. "But still..."  
  
Ann frowned and approached Ren, examining his eyes. "Your skin and eyes look really irritated, and they're getting puffy... same with Morgana."  
  
"Let's step away from the lockers." Haru murmured, and they walked away. Ren's vision blurred, and he groaned and pulled off his glasses as he rubbed at his eyes. He grimaced and immediately regretted the action as it burned even worse.  
  
"Don't touch your eyes," Ryuji ordered, "c'mon, we're going to the bathroom. You can wash off your face there. Mishima, think you can help Morgana? His eyes look irritated too."  
  
"Let's go to the biology lab," Mishima suggested, "they have emergency eye wash stations in there. It'll help more than a bathroom sink, and the girls can follow us there."  
  
"Good idea." Ryuji frowned at Ren, who was wincing and scrunching his eyes closed. They felt like they were burning, and he could hear Morgana moaning as well. Ryuji sighed. "That asshole... hang in there, Ren. We'll get you cleaned up. You're gonna be okay."  
  
"You'll be okay. Both of you. I know it hurts." Ann agreed.   
  
Ren felt himself be led into a classroom that smelled faintly of formaldehyde, and was positioned in front of an eye wash station. He could hear someone walking up to a station next to it. "Open your eyes." Ryuji ordered, and Ren reluctantly obeyed just as Ryuji flipped the station on, and water splashed onto his eyes. Though it stung, with great effort, he kept his eyes open, and sure enough, the pain began to ebb away as it washed off. He felt his shirt and jacket getting soaked and heard Morgana yowling as his fur got wet, but the pain immediately dropped in intensity, though it still stung unpleasantly.  
  
As they pulled away from the eye wash, Ann and Haru approached with bunched up paper towels. Ren took his and began to pat himself down while Haru patted Morgana down as Mishima lifted him up.   
  
"What," Ren finally sputtered, "was _that?"_  
  
"Blood blossom extract," Haru piped up, "from a flower called the blood blossom, or ghosts' bane. It's harmless to most humans and a very powerful, poisonous irritant to ghosts... as well as anyone who survived a ghost portal accident, like yourselves." She sighed. "I looked it up. Apparently it targets ectoplasm molecules and destroys them by producing a chemical commonly used in anti-ghost weapons. I also found out from... looking on the internet," she glanced over at Mishima, who looked dubious but kept his head down, "that portal accident victims produce-- small amounts of ectoplasm permanently, hence the reaction."  
  
Ann grimaced as she took them in. Ren's face was still bright red, and his eyes were puffy. Morgana, too, had puffy eyes, and she scowled. "That bastard..." She sighed and shook her head. "Let's take both of you to the nurse. I have a feeling this isn't going to go away quickly."  
  
Ren grumbled. "Come late to school just for this... _ugh."_ He turned to Ryuji. "Thanks for tackling me when you did. I imagine it would have been way worse if I actually touched my locker handle."  
  
_"Way_ worse." Mishima piped up. "It's supposed to basically burn ectoplasm. You could have gotten chemical burns from touching it without a glove on; Sakamoto-kun saved your ass."  
  
Ren and Morgana gave the blond boy a loving look (or as best they could, given the state of their eyes). Ryuji just flushed and nodded. "I'm just glad I got to you in time." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Kamoshida...!"  
  
"Keep it together," Mishima huffed, "I'm angry, too, but we just have to wait a little longer. I have no doubt that students will come out of the woodwork to file allegations of abuse... just like I will after school."

* * *

The minute school had been let out, Kamoshida cancelled volleyball practice and hurried to his apartment. A roiling hatred had consumed him, but he knew he didn't have much time or an opportunity to act upon it.  
  
He grabbed what suitcases he could and began filling them with essentials-- clothes, money, a phone charger, and in particular, his Olympic medal, which was painstakingly placed between layers of clothing to insulate and protect it.   
  
"I have enough money to support myself for a few months," he mused to himself, "I just gotta figure out where I'm headed... where can I go that I won't be found?"  
  
It was all the new kid's fault, he thought. If he didn't have to stick his nose in his business, he could have tolerated the little freak until he graduated.  
  
But no. He _had_ to interfere. He had to save Suzui's life. And worst of all, he had Phantom himself get involved, too. He blamed Sakamoto, too, for inevitably bringing the new kid into a plot against him.   
  
_No wonder Sakamoto wasn't put off by whatever he is. _Kamoshida couldn't imagine why else anyone would tolerate whatever human/ghost mongrel abomination the new kid was.   
  
He had known from the start that something was off about the new kid, but after Suzui had been saved and he laid eyes upon the kid and his cat, he knew that somehow, they had been the mystery ghosts that had flown in and saved the day. Who else could it be?   
  
_I had to do something to protect my castle._  
  
A search online had led him to blood blossom and its extract, poisonous to ghosts but harmless to humans-- and the perfect agent for getting rid of a nuisance without being detected. He ordered the expensive extract and shipped it overnight. Mishima did the dirty work as usual, and all would be well in the world. He was no stranger to putting down rebellion.  
  
Then Phantom had to open his mouth and invite his slaves to speak against him. The hatred of the new kid only grew with it-- no doubt he had asked Phantom to act on his behalf.  
  
Kamoshida knew he was in deep trouble, and while he hated it, he knew his only option was to flee.   
  
"Should go somewhere where women are kept in their places," he muttered to himself, "no one will question me there. I'll make myself a king somewhere new. Somewhere shittier, but somewhere I won't be caught. Maybe start growing blood blossoms, too."  
  
He had just finished packing when a knocking came at the door. He growled to himself and stood up. "Who is it?" he demanded.  
  
"Tokyo Police."  
  
They had started saying something else, something about having a warrant and about forcing the door open if he didn't open it willingly, but Kamoshida put it out of his mind as he hurried for the fire escape in the back of the apartment. He quickly snatched his medal and his wallet from the suitcase and hurried out. To his relief, the fire escape seemed surprisingly empty and quiet, and he readied himself to start climbing down.  
  
"Going somewhere?"  
  
Kamoshida's head shot up, looking for the disembodied voice as he paused over the stairway.  
  
"There's no running from this. You should head back into the apartment and go willfully before you get in even more trouble."  
  
"Show yourself!" Kamoshida snapped, looking all around as he clutched the medal to his chest. "Only a coward hides!"  
  
The voice laughed, and just beyond the railing, Phantom materialized. The ghost stared at him with unimpressed, piercing green eyes as Kamoshida took a step back.  
  
"There's no escape." the ghost warned him. "Come quietly or make me hold you down; doesn't matter to me, but it might to you. Got your pride to worry about, don't you?"  
  
"This is all your fault," he snapped, "yours and your little freaks of apprentices. If you had just stayed out of it--"  
  
"A girl would be dead and her rapist wouldn't be facing justice. You reap what you sow." The ghost grinned smugly. "And you? You're reaping the consequences of years of abuse. You don't deserve an ounce of pity, especially given the fact you're not showing any remorse." He scoffed. "You're not the first sick bastard I've arrested, and you won't be the last. I'm warning you one last time: drop your belongings and come quietly."  
  
The man lunged, swiping at the ghost with his right fist, but Phantom just yawned and went intangible. The man staggered forward and yelped as he careened over the railing headfirst while the medal fell out of his hands. For a split second, he was certain he was about to fall to his death, but something caught him by the ankles.  
  
"Bold strategy, Cotton." Phantom mocked. "Swinging at a ghost. Brilliant. Alright, fine, we do this the hard way, then. Well, hard for you, at least."  
  
Kamoshida glared up at him as he began to fly off towards the police cars waiting outside the apartment, still carrying him by the ankles. "You're a monster." he spat.  
  
Phantom just shrugged.   
  
"Takes one to know one."

* * *

  
"There's not much I can do for blood blossom reactions," Takemi had said as she prescribed a steroid shot and an antihistamine, "your bodies just have to work through it on their own."  
  
It was all she could do for the two beleaguered halfas. They went to lay down upstairs and rest in the attic while Futaba joined them on her laptop, sitting at the foot of the bed and typing away rapidly. Ren was certain she was probably doing something highly illegal and doxxing Kamoshida, but any protests he made were shrugged off. Wakaba and Sojiro had been furious and called the police, then Danny, who they noted to sound eerily calm as he reassured them the situation would be handled.  
  
Later in the evening, Futaba had finished what she was doing and cackled to herself without clarifying why, and the whole family had gathered around a table in Leblanc, eating dinner and barely paying notice to the television that was on in the background until the magic words came.  
  
_"We have breaking news," _the reporter said, _"a teacher at a Tokyo high school, Shujin Academy, has been arrested in connection to an investigation into faculty of the school."_  
  
All five turned immediately to the TV, paying rapt attention as a picture of Kamoshida appeared on-screen. _"The teacher attempted to evade arrest by running out of a fire escape, but was captured by Danny Phantom." _The screen cut to a poorly-shot, shaky video of Kamoshida (albeit with a blurred face) standing on a fire escape outside an apartment building. He swung a fist at Phantom, who went intangible; the man tripped through him and almost fell over the guardrail when Phantom saved him and grabbed the man by the ankles, who he then carried down to the street level to the waiting police.

_"__This follows over a dozen police reports being filed against a Shujin Academy teacher after a press conference today by Danny Phantom and the attempted suicide of a student at the school, who alleges this instructor sexually assaulted her. Moreover, there have been reports that the police received anonymous tips that the instructor had pocketed school funding intended for a volleyball team into a personal savings account and purchased poison that was used to harm a student and his service animal, both of whom are reportedly in stable condition. The police will continue their investigation of--"_  
  
Everyone grinned at each other, pleased, before looks were passed to Futaba, who cackled deviously again. Wakaba frowned.  
  
"Futaba... did you hack personal information again?"  
  
"For a good cause, Mom."   
  
Wakaba sighed and shook her head. Sojiro grimaced a bit, but Wakaba was smiling softly. "I suppose I can overlook it, this time, given the circumstances," she said, "but you need to stop doing that. I'm worried one day you'll get caught."  
  
Futaba let out an exasperated sigh and nodded. "Yes, Mom..."  
  
Ren felt his phone buzz, and he took it out to see he had already received comments from his friends.  
  
_Ryuji: YOOOOOOOOOOOOO DID YOU SEE THE NEWS?!?!?!  
  
Ren: I sure did.  
  
Ryuji: I love you dude no homo, full bromo.   
  
Ryuji: k actually maybe a little homo  
  
Ryuji: I also love Phantom-sama  
  
Ann: SAME  
  
Ann: I am actually tearing up, seeing Kamoshida get arrested was the best thing ever.  
  
Ann: You're all the best!  
  
Ren: You should also be thanking Futaba. She's the one who sent several "anonymous tips" to Phantom.  
  
Ryuji: pls tell her I said thanks  
  
Ann: same  
  
Haru: I'm so happy to hear the good news!  
  
Ryuji: lol what a dumbass I can't believe he tried to punch a ghost  
  
Haru: I'm surprised he didn't just surrender. He was up against Phantom-sama.  
  
Ren: Thanks for helping me, too, guys.  
  
Ren: This hasn't been an easy time in my life, but your support and your help has been great.  
  
Ryuji: We're the ones who owe you thanks.  
  
Ryuji: You didn't have to get involved, but you did.   
  
Ann: Several times. But you did it because it was the right thing to do.  
  
Haru: I can't wait for what adventures come next with you all!  
  
Ren: Heh...  
  
Ren: Maybe this 'halfa' thing won't be as bad as I thought._


	13. A Dream

Ren didn't remember how he got to an empty expanse of white that he seemed to be floating in aimlessly.   
  
The boy looked around, baffled, but found only white space around him, with no end in sight. To some extent, it hurt his eyes, but he forced himself to look around for any exit in sight.  
  
"Hello? Am I here alone?" he asked aloud. The statement echoed, befuddling him further.   
  
"Well, well, well," a feminine voice came, prompting him to spin around helplessly to look for the source, "so you're one of the new half ghosts the Ghost Zone is all abuzz about."  
  
Ren jolted, and his panic only grew as he couldn't find the source of the voice.   
  
"Ugh, another boy," the voice groused and sounded closer, "I was hoping for a girl this time. How many men now have been in portal accidents?"  
  
"Where are you? Who are you?" Ren demanded. The voice laughed.  
  
"Is that what you wish for, dear child? Answers to such simple questions? There's so much more you could wish for, you know... so much more."  
  
Ren grit his teeth and glared at the open space. "Cut the shit and tell me what you want."  
  
"It's not what I want, little one... it's what _you_ want. Tell me... what do you wish for? What is your heart's desire?"  
  
Ren elected to remain silent. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes defiantly. The mysterious voice sighed. "No need to be difficult. Don't you want to make a wish? There must be something you want..."  
  
"We all want things," Ren said, still not opening his eyes, "but I'm not stupid enough to tell a stranger such things, much less one I can't see and don't know the intentions of. Show yourself or begone. I won't speak anymore otherwise."  
  
There was a long silence, and finally, a sigh.  
  
"You're being so difficult... but very well. Open your eyes."  
  
Ren opened his eyes and saw a green, genie-like female ghost staring at him with a strange smile. Her hair was long, black, and covered her right eye, and her long tail was blue, as was the top she wore. Her arms and neck were adorned with golden bangles. Her eyes trailed over him as he stared in silence at her.  
  
"Well, you're cuter than him. More mature than he was when he got his powers, too."  
  
"You mean Phantom-sensei?" he questioned. She scoffed.  
  
"'Sensei'... yes. I refer to him." She shrugged. "But never mind him. I, Desiree, came to offer you a gift for being reborn as a halfa. Make a wish, and I will grant it."  
  
Ren shook his head. "Nice try. Phantom-sensei warned me about you-- a wish-granting genie ghost that twists the words of the wisher, correct?" He crossed his arms. "I'm not a fool. I know real wishes can't be granted in the blink of an eye or with words alone."  
  
The ghost huffed. "Surely there must be something you want. Revenge, money, power, love, respect?"  
  
"Of course there's things I want. But it's nothing I would ask of you." Ren shrugged. "Don't you think that's abusive on the part of the requester to make wishes when you're unable to refuse?"  
  
She blinked. "... What?"   
  
He nodded. "I mean... if you have to grant wishes, I feel like I'd just be violating your will to demand something anyways. Taking advantage of you. That's not right."  
  
"Even if I offer?"  
  
"For the most part, yeah. Because you don't have the option to back out if it's something you don't like." He crossed his arms. "Also, shouldn't you be laying low? Didn't you just get let out of jail?"  
  
"Why do you act like you care?" she snapped, her smile falling in favor of a bitter scowl. "All men just want things. You are no exception."  
  
Ren shrugged. "Not taking advantage of someone is human decency, not just being a caring person. I barely know you, but I'm not going to be an asshole to you."  
  
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of... if you're just going to attack me, get on with it."  
  
"... What? Where did that come from?" He cocked his head to the side. "Uh... why would I do that?"  
  
Desiree froze for a moment. She blinked. "... Because you're not taking any wishes? And I'm a ghost?"  
  
"So?"  
  
"... So don't you ghost hunters usually just want to attack ghosts on sight?"  
  
The boy shook his head. "I'm not a ghost hunter." He paused. "Are you _planning_ to attack me?"  
  
She continued to stare incredulously at him. "I mean... no. This wasn't the situation I was planning. I would defend myself if I had to, but..."  
  
Ren shook his head. "Then no, I have no intention of fighting you. Stop asking about wishes and go in peace if I've satisfied your curiosity." He shrugged. "And stay out of trouble, alright? I won't mention anything to Phantom-sensei if you don't cause trouble. I doubt you want to go to jail again."  
  
The genie ghost gawped at him as he stared quietly back.  
  
"... You're a curious one." she finally remarked. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting this situation at all... you are different than Phantom. Very well." She smiled again. "Run along to the waking world, child. Perhaps I'll visit you again sometime."  


* * *

  
Ren pondered the strange dream he had had all the way to school. It had been so... vivid and unusual, but his guardians dismissed it as a dream borne of stress and told him not to worry about it. His friends had merely echoed the sentiment at lunch time.  
  
"You're just stressed out," Ann had tried to reassure, "a lot's going on lately, and it's understandable."  
  
"'Sides, a ghost would probably just straight up attack you, not bug you in your sleep." Ryuji agreed.  
  
Ren nodded warily and looked down at the strange brown bar of unknown contents that was formulated for halfas like him that Sojiro had packed in a bento box for him. Morgana, too, was staring warily down at his own, smaller version of the energy bar, crumbled up among kibble. Neither moved to eat it.  
  
"Ren-kun, Morgana-kun," Haru urged from her spot as they sat on some of the chairs and desks on the roof, "aren't you going to eat?"  
  
"... Do we have to?" Morgana questioned dryly. Ryuji nodded.  
  
"Y'can't work out if you don't have energy for it. Just get those down."  
  
Ren hesitantly took a bite, and his nose wrinkled. It had a very chewy texture with almost no flavor, save for a hint of something... metallic? Whatever the case was, he didn't care for the texture, and only swallowed with great effort. Morgana, too, grimaced as he tried to stomach his own crumbles.  
  
"How is it?" Ann asked. He shrugged.  
  
"Very... bland. And stupidly chewy."  
  
"Not in a good way." Morgana agreed. Ryuji cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Can I try just a tiny bit of it? Just out of curiosity."  
  
Ren shrugged and pinched off a tiny bit for the boy, who tasted it before spitting it out with a disgusted grimace. "Tastes like sadness." he groused. "Try plugging your nose while you eat it."  
  
They obeyed and quickly got the supplements down. Both coughed a bit before turning their attention to the rest of their food. "So," Ryuji said cheerfully, "what're you going to practice today with your sensei?"  
  
"Not sure." Morgana said. "We'll find out, I guess."  
  
"Well... what are you hopin' to learn first?" Ryuji questioned, eyes alight with curiosity. Ren shrugged.  
  
"I want to learn to go invisible and then to fly, so I can fly around Tokyo without being seen."  
  
Morgana stood up, tail swishing excitedly. "Oh! That sounds like fun! I'd be down with that!"  
  
Ryuji laughed. "Oh, man, that'd be sweet!"  
  
Ann giggled. "Well, that's a switch from the gloomy attitude you've been having, Ren-kun. That's a great idea."  
  
Ren shrugged. "Well, if I have to live like this for the rest of my life, I might as well have some fun with it. But honestly, that's something we'll probably get to over a few sessions. I have no idea what we'll start with, and--"  
  
The door to the roof creaked open, and suddenly, the group went dead silent as they turned to see who had joined them. Ren's heart skipped a beat as he saw Makoto Niijima push the door open with an exasperated look on her face. She approached the silent group, who remained sitting, save for Ren, who stood up with a quizzical frown. "Niijima-senpai? What's up?"  
  
"I'm sorry to do this to you all," she said with crossed arms, "but Principal Kobayakawa asked me to ask all of you to eat somewhere else. The rooftop is going to officially be off-limits to most students following the suicide attempt."  
  
"Aw, c'mon," Ryuji whined, "we're not doin' any harm. We're just chattin'. This is one of the only places we can hang out without people lookin' at us funny."  
  
"It wasn't my decision." Makoto huffed. "The principal will overlook the fact you keep coming up here if you desist from sitting up here any further. It's school policy now."  
  
There was a chorus of grumbles, but Ren just sighed and nodded. "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand." He turned to his friends. "We should go. We can find somewhere else."  
  
Makoto shrugged. "There's a small space behind the gym you could try hanging out behind, but the bells don't reach back there. You could be late to class if you don't set alarms on your phones to return to class. It's also a bit of a walk."  
  
"It'll have to do." Ren said with a shrug. "Sorry for the trouble, Niijima-senpai."  
  
"Thank you for understanding." She smiled softly. "I heard about yesterday. How are you feeling now, by the way?"  
  
"We're okay, thanks for asking."  
  
Makoto shrugged. "I'm glad to hear that... I have to admit, I was pretty surprised to hear about it. I didn't know that blood blossoms could affect non-ghosts..."  
  
Ren and Morgana shared a look while Ryuji immediately scowled at her. "They ain't ghosts!"  
  
"I wasn't accusing them of that." Makoto said calmly. "I was just curious about how..."  
  
"It's because they have trace amounts of ectoplasm in their bodies," Haru piped up, "all accident victims have that. Nothing to be concerned about."  
  
"Really?" She shrugged. "Quite a reaction for 'trace amounts'..."  
  
Ann glared at her. "It just goes to show how much it would have hurt them if they were_ actually _ghosts. Kamoshida could have seriously hurt them!"  
  
"Ann, it's okay." Ren murmured. He turned to Makoto. "Yes, well... we're okay now. Thanks for your concern."  
  
"Why are you being so nice to her?" Ann hissed. Ren frowned at her.  
  
"It's not her fault. Blame the principal."  
  
"She's questioning you an awful lot." Haru whispered.   
  
Makoto held her hands together. "I don't mean to offend. Many students have been shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida, and the rumors about Amamiya-kun aren't going away, either."  
  
Ann and Ryuji shared a look and shook their heads while Ren and Morgana just quietly stared at her. Ann huffed. "I didn't expect someone like you would care about that tactless stuff, Niijima-senpai."   
  
"I dunno that it was _tactless..." _Ryuji muttered. He nevertheless continued to glare at her. "Anyways, we done here? We can't leave if you keep talkin' to us." he snapped. Makoto glared back at him.  
  
"At least try to understand my position."  
  
Ren nodded. "Everyone, just-- calm down. I don't think she meant any harm."  
  
"You don't know that." Ann hissed defensively. Ren nevertheless shook his head and waved for everyone to stand up.  
  
"We'll get going." He smiled at her. "Sorry for the trouble. It was good to see you again, Niijima-senpai."  
  
The student council president smiled softly back. "It was good to see you, too, Amamiya-kun. Stay in good health from now on."  
  
With that, she finally left as the group packed their things up. Ren frowned quizzically at his friends. "Why were you all so hostile to her?"  
  
"She was asking you very pointed questions, didn't you notice? She's onto us." Morgana huffed. "I know you have a crush on her, but you need to stay wary. We have to be careful."  
  
The other teens' eyes widened as Ren blushed. "Wait, hold on," Ryuji stammered, a shit-eating grin growing on his face, "you have a crush on _Niijima?"_  
  
The halfa shook his head. "I do not! She's just a nice girl..."  
  
The others snickered.  
  
"Your red cheeks say otherwise." Ann remarked, but her smile faded quickly. "Still, be careful! We can't trust her yet and we need to keep what you are a secret."  
  
"But..."  
  
"It's for your own safety, Amamiya-kun." Haru agreed. "Come on. Let's go find somewhere else to sit..."  


* * *

  
The afternoon's incident bothered him, but was tucked away to the back of his mind when he and his friends greeted Fenton in Shibuya after school. He had led them to a nondescript van that took them to an equally nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of Tokyo that most would look at and assume to be just that without a second thought.   
  
On the inside, it appeared largely to be just an empty warehouse, save for the fact a large observation room sat in the center of the building, surrounded by clear walls of unknown material. There were a handful of scientists in the observation room doing miscellaneous activities on computers and other devices, among them Wakaba Sakura, who greeted the group just outside the room. Futaba hurried forward to hug her while Ren blinked.  
  
"Oh, Sakura-san," he stammered, "you're here, too?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes. I primarily study how ghost powers work, so I'm the head of the team here." She smiled at Danny and bowed to him. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Fenton-sama."  
  
"Likewise, Sakura-san." Danny agreed with a smile. He gestured towards the kids, who were practically shaking with excitement. "We've got our visitors with us."  
  
"I can see that." she giggled as she patted her daughter's head lovingly. "All of you, head on in and follow the orders of my second-in-command. He'll tell you where to stand. Fenton, Morgana, Ren, put these on your ears." She handed them small earbuds. "We'll be able to talk to you with them from in there."  
  
They obeyed, and the younger halfas followed Danny to one of the other sides of the room, where everyone in the room watched quietly. The scientists appeared calm and quiet, while the teens were pressed up against the glass, watching with bated breath.  
  
"Alright," Danny said as he put his hands together, "let's go ahead and transform, shall we?"  
  
Morgana nodded, but Ren just side-eyed the room. He blushed. "Um... they're looking right at me..."  
  
_"Ren-kun, we're here to help you, not to shame you." _Wakaba spoke up in his earpiece.   
  
"The scientists won't mind, and your friends are here to support you." Danny tried to reassure. Ren still hugged himself uncomfortably.  
  
"But..."  
  
"What if we do it with you?" Morgana suggested reassuringly. "All of us at the same time."  
  
Danny nodded. "Yeah." He smiled. "What if we all go on the count of three? You can get it over with and we can start the fun stuff."  
  
Ren swallowed hard and pulled his gaze away from the observation room. He nodded. "Okay."  
  
"Okay." Danny confirmed. "Three..."  
  
Ren felt his heart palpitate anxiously.  
  
"Two..."  
  
He could feel the tingle of ectoplasm under his skin.  
  
"One."  
  
He allowed it to surround him and change him, just as Danny and Morgana did at the same time. Though the blue flames briefly blinded him, he spied blue rings forming around Fenton and transforming him, rather than flames. When it settled, he was giving the man a funny look.  
  
"You transform differently," he remarked, "why is that?"  
  
Danny shrugged. "No clue. One of the things they're studying here. Technically, I don't need the flashy rings and can just flash into this form, but I do it for the aesthetic."  
  
Ren and Morgana snickered, then paused as they heard knocking from the observation room. He turned to see his friends beaming at him excitedly and cheering-- Ryuji offered him a thumbs up, as did Futaba. Meanwhile, Ann formed a heart with her hands as she beamed, and Haru waved. He felt his heart settle a bit, and he sheepishly smiled back. Morgana trotted beside him and waved back eagerly while the girls squealed over his cuteness.  
  
"Okay, so for today's lesson," Danny started, "we're gonna practice intangibility, because that one has the most potential for mayhem, but also, is easier to get down than you'd think." He raised a hand. "We're gonna start with body parts before moving onto whole-body. Now, the trick is to feel the power within you and pull it forward while focusing; picture yourself slipping through a solid object..."  


* * *

  
"Alright," Danny said as the boys panted, "we're done for today. Good work; you can change back now."  
  
Both transformed back into human and cat form respectively while Danny followed suit. The man stretched himself idly, having barely broken a sweat, while Ren and Morgana continued to pant. Sweat dripped down Ren's forehead.  
  
"How are you not tired?" Morgana gasped. Danny shrugged.  
  
"Years of practice. Also, astronaut training also practically beats the shit out of you to get you in shape. You'll both get better with experience."  
  
The observation room door opened, and the teens hurried out to greet their friends with smiles. "Good work, Ren-Ren, Mona-Mona!" Ryuji said cheerfully as he raised a hand up for a high five. Ren high-fived him and shuddered. Wakaba followed shortly after them, a proud smile on her face.  
  
"Good work, you two. You're both very fast learners, and we're gaining very valuable data from observing you." She nodded. "Your cores have stabilized very nicely; you may feel exhausted, but it's very good for both of you to get this exercise and practice. I'll be sure to tell Sojiro; he'll be proud of both of you, too."  
  
"Let's go, then!" Futaba urged, tugging her brother's sleeve. "Curry awaits!"  
  
"Curry?" Haru questioned. Futaba nodded.  
  
"Yeah-huh. Leblanc's specialty and my staple diet."  
  
"You're welcome to come with us for dinner." Wakaba added. Danny's eyes widened, and he cleared his throat.  
  
"I almost forgot. Sunday, my best friend is coming to visit for about a week, and we're having dinner. He'd like to meet the new halfas, and so would Sam, so..." He smiled at the kids. "You're all invited along with the Sakuras, if you'd like to come."  
  
The kids nodded and affirmed their desire to come. Haru nodded.  
  
"Thank you for the invitation, Fenton-sama. Is there anything we can bring to dinner?"  
  
"Kind of you, but no." Danny shook his head. "My wife is pregnant and vegan, and a lot of food odors have been making her nauseous. We'll be preparing all the food so it's all stuff that doesn't make her sick to smell; she's making a bunch of vegan food, I'm making mashed potatoes and helping her with her stuff, and our friend is bringing turkey because that's the only meat thing she can tolerate the odor of right now."   
  
The kids stared at him, wide-eyed.  
  
"Yourwife is_ pregnant?" _Ann gasped. "You're having a _baby?!"_  
  
Danny laughed and nodded. "Yeah, surprise, halfas can have kids, too. In fact, she got pregnant pretty much immediately after we started trying; guess having 'special genes' sped up the effort. She's about three months pregnant; so far the doctors are saying the fetus is developing... _relatively _normally."  
  
"Is the baby gonna be a halfa, too?" Ryuji questioned. Danny shrugged.  
  
"You know, we're not totally sure, but the baby will be either that or some sort of part ghost. The Far Frozen doctors are detecting a developing core alongside a heartbeat from the ultrasounds, so..." He shook his head. "Anyways, we're getting off-track. I'll see you all Sunday at our apartment at around 4."  
  
The group nodded and headed out. As they did, Ryuji sighed. "Man, that was so cool watching you practice."  
  
"It was," Haru agreed, "it was amazing."  
  
"For real." Ann added with a smile. Futaba giggled.  
  
"Makes me wish _I _was a--"  
  
"Nope!" Ren protested with a shake of the head. "No wishing."  
  
The others rolled their eyes. "You're still worried about that?" Morgana questioned as they got back into the van. "It was just a dream. Don't be so worried."  
  
"But Phantom said--"  
  
"Don't you think she'd be causing trouble in the waking world if she wanted to mess with you?"   
  
Ren just shook his head as they took their seats. "I wish it was that simple and that obvious... I hope you're right."


	14. The Fentons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filler chapter, takes up what would otherwise be the buffet scene in the actual game. Story picks up soon, I promise.

There had been a lot of fussing and arguing over what to wear and how to appear, but the Fentons' request for casual clothing won the day. Still, it didn't stop the group of the Sakuras and Ren's friends from shaking with a mix of anxiety and excitement as they headed, by train, by car, by limo, to the apartment.  
  
The Fentons' apartment was situated not far from the busy streets of Shibuya, within walking distance of the trams and the main street that Ren and his friends liked to explore. Upon reaching the lobby, Danny was already waiting for them, himself dressed casually with jeans and again in his NASA shirt. Everyone greeted him with bows, which he awkwardly responded to with a bow back before guiding them up the elevator to his apartment.  
  
As soon as they made it to the apartment and opened the door, they were greeted with the delicious smell of spices and garlic and tofu with the sound of sizzling in the kitchen, combined with the odor of turkey being baked in an oven. They all took off their shoes and followed the leader inside.  
  
It was an open space with the kitchen attached openly to the right of the living room, with a large dining table set up adjacent to the kitchen in what was to be the dining room. Upon the dining table itself in the center was a gothic-looking candelabra. The whole area itself was a spectacle-- posters of metal bands were interspersed by posters of spaceship diagrams and impressive images of space from observatories. A display shelf was pressed against the back wall, lined with handmade spaceship models. Many potted houseplants resided along walls and shelves.  
  
The walls were a dark blue, and most of the furniture was black, even the couches around the television, where lush purple and red pillows laid at the corners. From the ceilings hung colorful paper lanterns shining light over the place, and along the wall by the entrance were plastic bat sconces holding lights. Their socks slid neatly over hardwood floors, and a hall to the right led to, presumably, bedrooms.  
  
"Whoa," Ryuji whispered giddily, "this place is _sick!"_  
  
Danny smiled wryly as he looked back at the group, some of them bewildered and some of them in awe. "You should tell that to my wife. She'll be very happy to hear it; most of it is her doing, but the space stuff is mine." He looked up towards the kitchen as footsteps came, and he smiled warmly. "Speak of the Devil."  
  
"Hah! The Devil wishes he was me." came a strong voice as a pale, dark-haired woman came. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and wearing a simple black dress with a purple apron and a smiling spider with fangs on the chest of it, each leg holding a kitchen utensil. The apron jutted out a bit on her belly, which was just starting to show the signs of pregnancy.  
  
"I don't think Hell could handle you." came the other person's voice as she was followed by a dark-skinned man in glasses, with an orange beret and simple yellow t-shirt and jeans, himself wearing a black apron that said KISS THE COOK PLS K THX. The woman turned to smirk at him.  
  
"You're goddamn right."  
  
"Of course I'm right. I've known you since kindergarten." The two turned to look at the Sakuras and the kids curiously. "These our guests?"  
  
"Mhm." Danny confirmed. "Everyone, this is my wife, Sam, and this is our best friend, Tucker. Sam, Tuck, let me introduce you to everyone..."  
  
They went around introducing themselves, until finally, Ren and Morgana were pushed forward. Morgana waved and Ren smiled sheepishly as the two adults examined them curiously. "So these are the new halfas, huh?" Sam questioned. They nodded, and she smiled. "Welcome to our home."  
  
"Nice to finally meet the both of you." Tucker agreed, extending a hand to each of them that they shook. "Gotta admit, I miss having Danny in town, but I'm glad to hear he's teaching nice kids."  
  
"Your place is really effin' sweet, Mrs. Fenton!" Ryuji piped up. Ann glared at him and elbowed him.  
  
"Ryuji, behave yourself!"  
  
Sam snorted out a laugh and shook her head. "Nah, it's all good! I'm really happy to hear that." She rolled her eyes. "We get such judgey looks from the neighbors and guests. Even my parents sometimes complain I'm too old for this stuff. It's nice to hear someone other than my friends appreciate my goth aesthetic." She grinned. "I like your hair. Suits you."  
  
Ryuji's eyes widened. "Really? Most people just tell me I need to dye it back to black."  
  
"Yeah. I'm all about styling to how you feel on the inside." She pointed to her own hair. "This is dyed, too. I'm a natural blonde, but I felt like going black. If you feel better as blond, then who cares what anyone thinks?" The woman glanced back towards the kitchen and back at the group. "I gotta go back and turn the heat off what I'm cooking. We'll talk more at dinner."  
  
She went back while Tucker peered over the group, his eyes landing on Futaba. "Hey, you're Futaba-chan, right?"  
  
The girl squeaked and jumped. "Y- Yes?"  
  
Tucker smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Nice work with doxxing Kamoshida! I work in network security and sometimes hack stuff for my friends here, so I admire your handiwork."  
  
Her eyes widened. "You do?! You're a tech nerd, too?!"  
  
"Sure am!" Tucker grinned. "I'm sure we can talk all about it at dinner."

* * *

  
The food was good. Everyone chatted idly amongst themselves along the dinner table; Tucker, as it turned out, got along well with Futaba as the two talked shop, while Haru asked Sam about her potted plants and led into a discussion about gardening, steering her away from a long conversation with Ryuji as the two complained about societal expectations. Ann and Morgana (perched on a booster seat) chatted idly while Sojiro nudged his wife playfully as they spoke to Danny about parenting. Ren was content to watch most of the conversations unfold in silence, a small smile on his lips.   
  
So far, Tucker and Sam had barely asked him any questions about his nature as a halfa. In fact, they didn't treat him any differently than the others, though on occasion they gave mildly surprised looks at Morgana when the cat piped up. They shook it off almost instantly every time and responded calmly, and soon enough, Ren felt his shoulders relax, the unease rolling off him finally settling down. "Er, Fenton-sensei," he spoke gently, drawing the man's attention without alerting the rest of the table, "do you have a restroom?"  
  
"Down the hall to the right." he replied, and back to conversation he went as Ren quietly pulled himself away from the table. He led himself to the hallway in question, which was darker than expected. All the doors were closed, the lights were off, and the wall color did little to provide light. The boy squinted and felt along the walls for a switch when abruptly, the hall became abnormally clear but gray in color save for a shining blue glow erupted on the wall around what was the shape of a switch.   
  
Ren jerked back with a sharp gasp and stopped squinting, and just as quickly, the hall was dark again. He panted hesitantly, then cautiously squinted again. He pressed himself, seeking the switch, and again, the hall lightened, and the switch erupted into blue light again. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, about to reach for it, when Danny's voice came.  
  
"Forgot to mention it gets dark in here. Let me get the switch for--"  
  
Ren spun on his heal and fell backwards on his rear as he saw the silhouette of Danny in a greenish light near his chest surrounded by a red light throughout the rest of him. Danny himself pulled back as Ren stopped focusing, and the boy stared up, bewildered, at a markedly less-bewildered man.  
  
"Danny, everything alright?" Sam's voice called from the dinner table. He nodded.  
  
"Yeah, everything is fine. I'll tell you in a minute what happened." Danny reached over for the light switch, flicked it on, and reached a hand out to Ren, who sheepishly allowed Danny to pull him back up. "Okay, so... what was that?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." Ren stammered. "I don't know what happened."  
  
"Your eyes were a glowing golden." Danny remarked. "Can you tell me a little about what was happening and what you saw?"  
  
The boy shrugged. "I was just... squinting and looking for the switch, and then everything went gray, except for you and the light switch. The switch went glowing blue, and you were just a greenish reddish silhouette."  
  
Danny's brows lifted, and he smiled. "Oh... I think I know what that was. Run along to the bathroom; I'll explain when you come out."  
  
Ren nodded sheepishly and hurried off to the bathroom. He finished his business, washed his hands, and stepped back out, albeit hesitantly. He started stepping out of the hallway, but when he noticed everyone at the dining table was staring at him, he slowly tried to back into the hallway with reddened cheeks.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Morgana questioned. Ren shrugged.  
  
"Uh... forgot my phone in the bathroom?"  
  
"... You mean the thing in your hand?" Wakaba deadpanned as Ren's eyes flew to his phone in his left hand. He forced a smile.   
  
"Oh, would you look at that. Forgot I was holding it."  
  
"Get your ass over here." Sojiro ordered gruffly. Ren kept his head down and hurriedly headed back to his seat, not looking at anyone. Ryuji, however, was beaming proudly as he took a seat and slapped his friend's back.  
  
"Congrats on the new power, Ren-Ren!" he said cheerfully. Ren groaned.  
  
"It's not a big deal... but thanks?"  
  
Sam just laughed. "No need to be embarrassed. We've done this ghost thing for a long time. Tuck's looking up what you did on our ghost encyclopedia right now."  
  
He blinked and turned to Tucker, who was rapidly swiping on his phone. "You have a what now?"  
  
"Ghost encyclopedia." Danny reiterated. "Full of any and everything ghost us and my parents put together for our reference."  
  
"Standard issue for the bureau." Wakaba remarked. Tucker finally smiled.  
  
"Ah, found it. It's called the 'Third Eye' and is used primarily to hunt in conditions with poor lighting for people or objects of their choosing. Illuminates differences between ghosts and humans, too." He looked up. "Basically, you can see in the dark and literally find a needle in a haystack."  
  
"Oh, thank God, I'm never going to have to lose keys or anything again." Sojiro remarked with a chuckle, running a hand down his goatee. "Not bad, kid."  
  
"Lucky..." Morgana grumbled. Ann smiled and scratched the top of his head.  
  
"Don't worry, Mona-chan. I'm sure you'll get a unique power, too."  
  
Morgana hummed to himself. "Well... there is something new I was testing out a bit. Maybe I can show you at the next practice session."  
  
"Sounds good." Ren said with a shrug.   
  
"Ren, your tracking power is better than mine." Danny scoffed with an eyeroll. "I just spew blue breath when a ghost comes near."  
  
"Can confirm." Sam said with a wince. "He did it once when we were kissing. Would not recommend."  
  
"It was _one _time!"  
  
"One time was enough." Sam stuck her tongue out. "Practically froze the inside of my mouth for an hour... but that's too much information, and we're getting off topic." She turned to Danny. "So what core types does that power belong to? Dark and..."  
  
Danny nodded. "Oh, uh, yeah." He turned to the younger halfas. "Sometimes, but not always, long before core maturation occurs, subtle signs of its typing arise in certain powers. My ice core was hinted by my ghost sense. Judging by you..." He shrugged. "Well, probably either light or dark. That being said, none of this is set in stone; it's possible to get a totally different core type."  
  
Futaba snickered. "Ren is gonna be dark type. Calling it now."  
  
"Why dark?" Ren questioned, turning to her. She shrugged.  
  
"Don't know. Feels right and you're just Extra enough for it in ghost form while simultaneously being all shy and quiet in human form. It's perfect!"  
  
The table snickered, and Sam grinned. "Nice. Dark is one of cool ones-- everyone flips out about it, but no core typing has any sort of morality attached to it."  
  
"That is correct, but we don't know for sure yet." Wakaba remarked. "Nothing is guaranteed for now."  
  
Ren sighed and nodded, still red in the face as his friends chattered excitedly about it. Danny checked his phone and stood up. "Anyone up for dessert and coffee?"  
  
"Me!" Ann cried, raising a hand. Ryuji scoffed.  
  
"You and desserts... two things that always go together, huh?"  
  
"Shut up." she scoffed, elbowing him. Tucker snickered, drawing their attention as Danny collected plates and headed off to the kitchen.   
  
"You two remind me of how Sam and I bickered in high school. I'm glad they made friends with you kids-- all of you."  
  
Futaba looked up, eyes widening. "Really?"  
  
The man nodded. "Really. Danny had a really hard time adjusting to being a half ghost, but we were there to be his sounding board and confidants when he needed it-- his friends." He turned to Ren. "Gotta admit, when I heard about you, I was sort of worried considering you were sent off on your own with Morgana because you didn't have the support network Danny did."  
  
Ryuji laughed brightly. "Well, they sure have that now."  
  
"All by accident, but good accidents." Haru agreed. Tucker smiled.  
  
"That's why Danny wasn't upset to hear some kids found out. He was telling us how excited he was that his apprentices have friends and people to support him. So... keep it up, guys."  
  
"Happily!" Ann said cheerfully. Ren sighed and smiled softly.  
  
"Thanks, guys."   
  
Morgana nodded. "We're lucky to have all of you."  
  
Sojiro and Wakaba smiled as well. "We really mean it-- thank you." Sojiro said. "I was worried, but I guess it's all for the best."  
  
Wakaba glanced over at her silent daughter, who was staring intensely at something on her phone. She frowned. "Futaba-chan, what are you doing?"  
  
"Looking at the Phansite." she murmured. The others shared a look.  
  
"The what now?" Ryuji questioned. Futaba nodded and held her phone up.   
  
"Someone opened a fan site for the so-called 'Tokyo Phantoms.'" She pulled her phone back and tapped away, and within seconds, everyone's phones buzzed. "I sent you all the link. Have a look."  
  
Morgana reached over Ren's arm as the boy opened the site, and stared, bewildered, at what they saw.

* * *

  
** _The Tokyo Phantoms Phansite_  
**  
_Welcome to the hub of all fan activity for Joker and Mona, Tokyo's very own superheroes! This website is devoted to all things fandom regarding them as well as their teacher, Danny Phantom! Please remember to be courteous and stay on-topic on the forums; offenders will be banned._  
  
_**POLL:** Are you excited for Tokyo to get their own superheroes?  
  
A. Yes! (51%)  
  
B. No! (19%)  
  
C. Undecided! (30%)  
  
**TOKYO PHANTOMS APPRECIATION FORUM**  
  
"i love them"  
  
"our superheroes now"  
  
"precious babies. angels. pure."  
  
"y r they here tho"  
  
"listen bruh if Phantom himself says they're good don't ask any questions"  
  
"LOOK @ JOKER'S FACE DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE, HE'S SO GODDAMN ADORABLE"  
  
"So is Mona, Mona is the cutest"  
  
"WE STAN MONA-CHAN IN THIS FORUM"'  
  
[DELETED BY ADMIN]  
  
_ _"i love... shy joker baby. cutie"  
_ _  
"GHOSTCATGHOSTCATGHOSTCAT--"  
  
"I'll welcome them when they prove themselves."  
  
"Fuck off, Phantom is teaching them, proof enough."_  
_  
"anyone who wants to talk shit about them can fight me"_ _  
_ _  
"Forming a Joker and Mona Defense Squad, who's with me?"_

_"Not to be dramatic but I would actually die for them"  
  
"upvote if u support Phantom-sama embarrassing his apprentices"  
  
"pls pray for joker having to learn phantom-sama's witty banter"  
  
"Is no one gonna question why these two ghosts were 1. hanging around a school and 2. wanted to move to Tokyo?"  
  
"shut the fuck up scrub our superheroes now"  
  
"CUTIES"  
_

* * *

  
Ryuji was choking on his own laughter while Ren buried the phone in his pocket, put his reddened face in his hands, and moaned.  
  
"Kill me." he whined. Morgana groaned.  
  
"Agreed. We're not 'precious babies,' we're heroes..."  
  
"Why can't you be both, Mona-chan?" Haru giggled. "I think it's very sweet."  
  
Tucker laughed. "Just be thankful _your _Wes Weston isn't trying to actively out you."  
  
The kids shared a look, sans Futaba, who just nodded. Ren frowned. "Who's Wes Weston?"  
  
"Are you guys talking about Wes Weston?" Danny's voice came, and they looked up to see the man carrying in a pie and a tub of ice cream. Sam nodded.  
  
"Yeah. They saw the Phansite. Tucker was telling them they're lucky that their 'Wes Weston' isn't trying to out them."  
  
"Thank God for that!" Danny agreed as he set the food down. He stood up and shrugged. "Wes Weston was a kid in our class at our high school who was absolutely convinced that I'm Danny Phantom. He was right, but had no proof. He ended up going onto opening a website called PhantomTruths dot org, and tried to out me. Repeatedly." He rolled his eyes. "It took the American ghost hunting bureau getting fed up and serving him with a lawsuit to get him to take it down. Last I heard, he's still fighting that in court."  
  
"No one took him seriously, but he still tried." Wakaba added. "I remember my coworkers gossiping about it at the time it was taken down."  
  
"Good riddance," Sojiro scoffed, "that man is probably just an attention-seeking nuisance."  
  
Tucker laughed. "Hey, Sam, remember when you thought Danny was gay for Wes?"  
  
His friends both laughed out loud. "Oh, do I!" Sam giggled. "I thought the ring he gave me said 'Wes' for the longest time."  
  
"You tried to ask me if I needed help hooking up with him." Danny said with a laugh. "Oh, _God,_ that was a funny confession of a crush if there ever was one."  
  
At the befuddled look of the others, Sam pried off a glass ring on her finger and presented it. The inside said 'Sam' but quickly appeared to be 'Wes' with a flip of the ring. "He asked me to hold this when we were fourteen," she elaborated, "and I thought for a shamefully long time he had a crush on the guy who was trying to out him. I finally asked him about it when we were fifteen and he ended up fessing up that the ring was for me."  
  
"And you've been together ever since?" Ann asked as she propped her face up and leaned forward. The couple nodded, and she squealed. "That's so cute!"  
  
"Aww, high school sweethearts!" Haru giggled.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, but..." Ren cut in and frowned. "Do we know who opened the Phansite? Does it say?"  
  
Futaba shrugged. "Doesn't say, but it only took me a little sleuthing to get that information. The guy who opened it goes to your school, and he's in your class. Yuuki Mishima."  
  
Morgana's ears pricked up, and Ren blanched as the other teens shared a look. "Mishima?" Ryuji questioned, wide-eyed. "Him?"  
  
"Has he figured out our identities?" Morgana hissed worriedly. Danny held a hand up.  
  
"Calm down; let's not panic. Even if that happens to be the case, he doesn't seem to have tried to out you. Not yet." He crossed her arms. "For now, the wisest move would be to keep an eye on the site... and him. Let me know if he says or does anything, but for now, I wouldn't be too worried." The man beamed. "Now, who wants some pie? It's vegan!... Well, the ice cream isn't, but the pie sure is. My wife has this vegan sorbet stuff that she..."  
  
Ren began to zone out as Danny talked and passed around dessert.   
_  
I hope Mishima hasn't figured it out. Haven't enough people already?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those not in the know, "Wes Weston" is a character made up from a background character by the DP fandom on Tumblr. The fanon characterization is he's a dude obsessed with outing Danny. Not canon but good fanon: https://juneluxray.tumblr.com/post/156494891142/melancholicmarionette-aqua-twin


	15. Old and New Faces

_"Did you hear about the blood blossom thing?"_  
  
_"I heard that he has ectoplasm in him. Ew!"_  
  
_ "What if it's contagious?"_  
  
_ "It probably attracts ghosts. He's still dangerous."_  
  
_ "Fucking freak."_  
  
The rumors still hadn't died down, and Ren found himself parting the sea of early risers who had also gotten to school well before class. He flushed a deep red and hung his head as he hurriedly made his way to class. He knew this would happen-- the scorn and fear hadn't died down. Shujin Academy, it seemed, was nothing but a rumor mill, and it stung as he was ostracized. The boy had been making a mental note to purchase a pair of earbuds to cancel out some of the noise when he went into his classroom, which was largely empty, save for Mishima. He had gotten there early to avoid some of the gossip, but still felt its pierce.  
  
With a sigh, he slid into his seat and stared out the window longingly as Morgana quietly crawled into the desk. He wanted to fly away and spend the day anywhere but there, but he knew he shouldn't.   
  
He was snapped out of his thoughts when a hand patted his arm. He looked over to see Mishima waiting with a nervous smile. "Hey," he greeted, "how are you doing? Better?"  
  
"Better." Ren reassured. "We're fine."  
  
"Good, good."   
  
An awkward silence passed as Mishima hesitated and Ren felt his heart palpitate with anxiety.  
  
"So, um..." Mishima clasped his hands together. "I-- I've been hearing the rumors. Try not to let it get to you, okay?" He sighed forlornly. "This stupid school is one big rumor mill. You've been through enough as it is and-- and, you know, there's nothing wrong with you." He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. "You know that, right?"  
  
Ren shrugged. "Oh. Um. Thank you."  
  
"Y- You're welcome. I..." The boy took a breath, and his voice lowered to a whisper. "A- Anyways... have you seen the Tokyo Phantoms Aficionado Website?" he questioned anxiously. Ren nodded. "I'm the one who started it."  
  
Ren's brows lifted at Mishima's honesty. _"Guess Futaba was right..."_   
  
Mishima hesitated for a moment before he leaned forward with curiosity and excitement in his eyes. "Um...!" His voice dropped to the barest whisper; Ren could scarcely make it out if he wasn't listening carefully.. "You-- you're Joker, aren't you? And your cat, he's Mona, right?"  
  
Both halfas flinched. Ren pulled back. "I don't know what you're talking about." he said coolly, having practiced this situation in his head many times since the previous day. Mishima nevertheless looked unconvinced. He paused, took a deep breath, and continued, voice just as quiet, almost inaudible.  
  
"You-- you're a-- a-- _a_ _half ghost. _The portal did that to you, right?"  
  
Ren's face fell, and Mishima paled. "W- Wait! Please don't get me wrong, I just-- I'm just--" He offered a reassuring smile. "Listen, I-- I'm not here to out you. Either of you. I just-- I just wanted to say that I'm on your side. Hence why I made the website." He sighed. "I was... well, I've been intrigued by you from the start. I used to read Wes Weston's site before it got taken down, mostly because I thought his rambling was fascinating in a weird way. So, I, uh... may have been spying on you and Sakamoto. A little. Mostly the day before and the day of the volleyball rally. And after Suzui's jump. And I may have been listening in when I said I wasn't."   
  
"He was spying on us?" Morgana hissed. Both boys looked to see Morgana glaring at him from inside the desk. Ren scowled at the cat, who suddenly seemed to remember that cats weren't supposed to talk, and pulled himself back in the desk. Mishima, after shaking himself out of his stupor, shook his head.  
  
"I- I- I was just c- curious, I'm sorry! I don't mean any harm! I wasn't quite sure what to believe at first, but then there was your timely rescue of Suzui-san-- and-- the fact you have a cat named Morgana-- like 'Mona' right? Plus he was in the accident with you. And the fact he just-- he just _talked._ I heard him. And then there's the fact you're the spitting image of Joker and-- and the thing with the blood blossoms and-- and I knew it had to be true." The boy panted and caught his breath, then nodded slowly. "It's all true, isn't it?"  
  
"Mishima," Ren stammered, "I--"  
  
"You're... you're struggling with this, right?" he continued breathlessly. "Having trouble accepting what you are. I just-- you should know that this isn't a bad thing. I mean, being a half ghost isn't a bad thing. Also, um, I know you have every right to be wary of me, but I just want to help and show my support however I can. I have no intentions of telling anyone." He smiled. "I promise."  
  
All of them stared at him in silence for a moment. Ren cleared his throat. "Uh... thanks. I suppose..."  
  
"It's all my pleasure." Mishima said proudly as he stood up straight. "Also, I want to apologize again for the blood blossom thing again. I should have said no, and I could have very nearly poisoned you, badly. I could have killed the both of you!"   
  
"It's okay." Ren said with a shrug. "You told Ryuji in time. We were fine."  
  
"Still, though... I shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry." Mishima shrugged. "Anyways, for what it's worth, I think what you've become is-- is a _good _thing. Something _unique,_ and you should be proud of it. And-- and I'm sure that in no time, your sensei will help you become true heroes. You should feel honored to be apprenticed to Phantom-sama himself-- a half ghost, too, right? If Weston's website was right, but you probably can't tell me anything about that, right?" He flushed and waved a hand. "Well... that's all I had to say, so... see ya! Talk to you later."  
  
With that, he scurried off. A silence fell over the group as they stared at each other dumbly.   
  
Finally, with a great sigh, Ren pulled his phone out of his pocket and began texting.  
  
"Phantom-sensei isn't going to be happy about this." he grumbled.

* * *

  
Lessons had been canceled that day to allow Danny to talk to Mishima about the situation. The group had been mildly concerned for Mishima's sake after school, but decided to leave it be and hope for the best. In the meanwhile, Ren agreed to go running with Ryuji around the school for the afternoon while Morgana ditched and hung out with the girls.  
  
After a lap around the school, the two stopped in the courtyard, panting with exhaustion. Ryuji leaned forward, supporting himself with his hands on his knees, as he caught his breath.   
  
"Ughh..." he whined and panted. "Damn, my legs 're all tight..." He pushed himself upright and shook his arms as he turned to Ren. "Before Kamoshida, the track team was the biggest thing this school had goin' for it. But that all changed after he got our coach fired and took over as the sub." He huffed and crossed his arms. "That bastard... right from the very start, he was tryin' to get rid of us. He'd give us crazy workouts, and then when we couldn't do 'em, he'd add even more on top of that... Day after day was nothing but that bullshit." He sighed and put his hands on his hips. "He was goin' after me especially." The boy shook his head. "He knew I was the kinda guy who'd fight back."  
  
The boy looked down at the ground, bouncing his foot irritably. "If my time dropped even a little, he'd cuss me out. Then on top of that, he brought up my parents..."   
  
"What about them?" Ren questioned. Ryuji didn't immediately respond; he scratched the side of his head and averted his gaze before looking back up.

"Truth is, my mom's the only one I got. All my dad did when he was around was drink. Sometimes he'd even beat me, or my mom. I dunno how that bastard Kamoshida found out, but he told the whole goddamn team..." The boy trailed off. Ren frowned, feeling pity rise in him. Ryuji just shook his head. "As you can guess, I lost it and hit him... I think he wanted me to do it, though. He called it an 'act of violence' and shut the whole team down." Ryuji hunched over, hanging his head. "Thanks to that, the other guys on the team treat me like some sorta traitor. "   
  
Ren shook his head. "They should be blaming Kamoshida, not you."  
  
Ryuji shrugged and looked away. "They ain't wrong, though. 'Cause of me, they all lost their shot at the championship."  
  
There was a long pause. Ryuji looked almost on the verge of tears. Ren's eyes softened. "Do... you want to go back to that?"  
  
"What, to the track team? Nah..." He looked up forlornly. "How could I go back after that...?" There was a pause, then the boy huffed and crossed his arms. "C'mon, don't ask me hard questions like that. I'm not very smart, y'know!"  
  
"You're not stupid, Ryuji."  
  
"No, he totally is."  
  
Both boys looked up, Ren in confusion and Ryuji in shock as a group of three boys approached the two with irritated looks. Ryuji reeled back a bit and paled. "Nakaoka... Takeishi..." he breathed. The two boys in front just glared at him.   
  
"Running, huh?" Nakaoka questioned bitterly. "We saw from the window. Eavesdropped a bit."  
  
"What, you wanna come crawling back to the track team now, huh?" Takeishi questioned. Ryuji shook his head.  
  
"I don't... did you miss the last part of our conversation if you were eavesdropping? I said I _don't._ That's behind me."  
  
Nakaoka scoffed incredulously. "Sure... speaking of which, this was your secret training spot, wasn't it? Well, it's ours now. You know, us. The former track team."   
  
"We don't even have a locker room anymore thanks to someone I know." Takeishi snapped. Ryuji just hung his head in silence. Ren, on the other hand, glared at them.  
  
"Let's not fight."  
  
"We ain't fighting..." Ryuji said guiltily. Takeishi nodded.  
  
"Yeah, this isn't a fight. Not even close to one." Takeishi paused and looked him up and down. "Aren't you that transfer student? You really wanna hang out with this loser?"  
  
"You better watch out," one of the ex-track team members piped up, "he'll hit you the second he gets pissed off. I heard his dad was the same way. Like father, like son, right?"  
  
Ryuji's fists clenched. "That don't got anything to do with this..."  
  
Ren just shook his head and glared at them. "Ryuji is one of the first as well as still one of the only a few people at this school to not treat me like I have the plague. I'll stand by him like he's stood by me."  
  
His friend's eyes softened as he looked at him in awe. "Ren..."  
  
Nakaoka scoffed. "Well, that figures. No wonder he's nice to you; he can't be picky about his friends, even if they're an ectoplasm-ridden freak."  
  
This time, Ryuji stiffened and glared at him, leaning forward, fists still clenched. _"You shut your mouth! _You can insult me all you want, but leave him out of this! He's a good guy who doesn't deserve any of the shit he gets at this school, especially not from you!"  
  
"Ryuji, calm down." Ren urged. Ryuji deflated slightly, and after a moment's silence, he sighed and nodded, unclenching his fist and pulling back.  
  
"... You're right."  
  
Nakaoka stared at him in silence, eyes widened slightly as Ryuji pulled back. The blond boy sighed and looked back up at them. "Listen, back then, I..."  
  
"I don't need to hear your excuses. Everyone was going through the same bullshit with Kamoshida. The beatings, the impossible exercises... but we put up with it all for the track team." He stepped forward, getting in Ryuji's face. "But no. You had to go and fuck all of that up!" He shook his head. "Man, I was stupid for thinking you were my teammate."   
  
Ren scowled. He felt his eyes begin to burn. "You--" He was cut off as Ryuji flinched, grabbed him by the arm, and forcefully flipped him around to face Ren's back toward the team as the halfa grunted in confusion. The former team gave them funny looks, but shrugged and backed off.   
  
"That's all I had to say to you. I'm outta here." Nakaoka scoffed, and with that, they stormed off. Ren almost turned to look at them when Ryuji clutched his wrist tightly.   
  
"Don't... turn around. Keep facing the wall." he ordered firmly. Ren frowned.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"Your eyes are glowing." Ryuji deadpanned. "I caught it just as I saw them starting to look like they were gonna glow. We're lucky they didn't see."  
  
Ren reddened, almost as much as his eyes as he pulled his phone out and opened his camera to examine himself. He winced as glowing red eyes met him. _"Fuck!"_ he hissed. He closed his eyes and breathed carefully, and when he opened his eyes, they were back to gray. Ren sighed. "Thanks... sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault." Ryuji reassured with a gentle pat on the back. "You can't totally control it, and you were just trying to help..." He scratched his head. "I almost smacked him when he was talkin' about my dad... and you. I haven't changed at all..."  
  
"But you didn't smack them." Ren retorted. "You held it in."  
  
His friend smiled softly. "Because of you. I'm glad you were here with me. Thanks, man!" He grinned. "Also, I was watchin' you. You're not messin' up nearly as much as you did-- didn't even trip once while we were runnin'. You're making great progress!" He held his hand up, and Ren responded by lifting his hand, too. Ryuji reached forward and high-fived him-- or tried, anyways. His hand went right through Ren's, who reddened immensely as Ryuji pulled his hand back. The boy just shrugged. "Okay... take two! You'll get it this time." He held his hand up again, and this time, successfully high-fived Ren without going through him.

* * *

  
Ren finally heard about poor Mishima's condition when he got home that evening.  
  
_**Danny:**__Mishima doesn't pose a threat to you. The guy's as threatening as a wet paper towel._  
  
_ **Danny:** We had a long chat and he understands he needs to keep his mouth shut and that there will be repercussions for not keeping his mouth shut. Niijima-san and I did a whole good cop/bad cop routine just to make sure he got the point-- he's good as long as he silently supports you._  
  
_ **Ren:** That's good to hear. How did you get him to the bureau?_  
  
_ **Danny: **I just appeared to him in ghost form when he was alone in his room and he fainted before I could even ask if I could take him to talk to the bureau. Then he saw me in human form later in the interrogation room, pieced it together, and fainted again because he fanboyed too hard. It was sort of hilarious._  
  
_ **Danny: **Your "Wes Weston" is harmless and you don't need to worry about him. I'll see you tomorrow for lessons._  
  
Ren chuckled to himself and moved onto the next round of texts.  
  
_**Mishima:** Your sensei is a very good man. Please thank him for keeping your lawyer from killing me. I'm pretty sure she would have killed me if given the opportunity._  
  
_ **Ren: **Sorry I had to tell him, but he asked me to tell him if you said anything to me. Hope you're okay._  
  
_ **Mishima:** I'm fine... they kept me for a few hours to interrogate me before turning me loose. They basically told me to keep my mouth shut._  
  
_ **Mishima:** It was sort of scary, but they (reluctantly) have allowed me to keep the site up if I behave myself. They also made me sign a lot of papers promising to keep my mouth shut._  
  
_ **Ren: **Sorry about all of that._  
  
_ **Ren: **Sensei texted me and told me you fainted twice. Are you okay?_  
**  
** **Mishima: **Yeah... they actually had a doctor look at me who just ended up saying I freaked out too much. It was embarrassing.   
  
**Mishima: **Anyways, I can't wait to keep supporting you guys with the fan site! See you tomorrow at school.  
  
Ren sighed and leaned back in the booth seat of Leblanc. Morgana, who had been sitting on a bar stool next to the table and watching, gave him a bemused smile. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," he exhaled, "this is just a tiring life we have..."  
  
"Maybe... but an exciting one, too." Morgana snickered. "Speaking of exciting, I can't wait to show you my new power tomorrow at practice!"

* * *

  
"So what was this new power you wanted to show us, Morgana?"   
  
Danny had asked the question as he and Ren floated up and away from Morgana at the cat's request. The others watched in baffled silence from the observation room as Morgana beamed proudly, his stubby cat arms crossed.  
  
"Watch this." Morgana said smugly. He held his arms up. "Morgana..._ transform!"_  
  
He hopped up into the air, and with a flash of smoke, a cat bus bounced up and down. Everyone recoiled back.  
  
"What the _fuck?" _Danny blurted before he could stop himself. The sentiment was echoed loudly over the earbud as Ren slapped a hand over his ear ruefully. The only one who hadn't shouted in confusion was Futaba, who beamed excitedly at Morgana.  
  
"This is just like that movie!"  
  
Ren let out a whine. "That's _way_ cooler than my stupid Third Eye power..."

* * *

The next few weeks went by quickly. Danny trained the two new halfas, sometimes pushing them hard, but soon enough, they had mastered their first three powers: flight, intangibility, and invisibility-- and in Morgana's case, catbus mode. Sojiro began allowing Ren to assist him in the kitchen, and Kawakami finally let him carry things for her as she noted surprisingly quick improvement. The tripping and slipping and dropping of things had slowly yet finally ceased. Ren continued to train with Ryuji, hang out with Ann and learn more about her modeling, and had tea several times with Haru. At home, he and Futaba frequently played co-op games and bonded. Things were settling down at last.

Which meant, of course, it was time to start tapping into their potential for new abilities on the last practice session before they adjourned for exam week.

"It's time to move onto our next trick," Danny started with a smile, "overshadowing."

Morgana squealed excitedly. "Finally!" The cat nudged Ren. "Aren't you excited?"

The boy just stared apprehensively at the cat, pale and eyes wide. He forced a nod as Danny gestured to two practice dummies on the ground.

"Alright, let's get to it. I'm going to have you each take a dummy and try to phase_ into_ it, not just_ through_ it. I'm not expecting you'll get it right away, but--"

Morgana had already ran for one of the dummies and hopped into it. Almost immediately, the dummy rose to its feet, and Morgana's voice echoed out of it. "Easy peasy!" the cat said triumphantly as everyone gawked at him. He stretched his fake human arms. "So this is what it's like to be at a human height... I like it."

"Dude, that's sort of creepy." Ryuji's deadpanned over their earbuds. Morgana scoffed.

"You're just jealous, Blondie."

Danny held his hands up. "Alright, I'm stopping the both of you right there. Good work, Mona." He smiled at a nervous-looking Ren, who was still pale and clutching his left arm with his other hand. "Joker, don't feel too pressured to get it right away. Everyone has something they're good at. You got flying down almost immediately, remember?"

Ren did remember. Momentarily, he flashed back to gleefully flying through the warehouse, doing unnecessary but fun loop-de-loops and twirls as he danced in the air. His friends had been impressed while Morgana had been initially jealous, but soon, he, too, caught on.

"He's right," Morgana agreed, "so get to it, Ren. You got this."

Ren slowly floated up to the other dummy and stared at it apprehensively. He knelt down and cautiously plunged a hand into it, which slipped right through into the ground. Danny shook his head. "No, no. You have to full-on push yourself in. Think of it like diving into a swimming pool. Here." He knelt down and moved Ren's hands onto the dummy's chest. "Now, with feeling: _push!"_

He did as he was told and gasped as he slipped through it and into the ground. Ren quickly pulled himself back out of the ground and to where he was with a shake of the head.

"Alright, try again." Danny said calmly. Ren grit his teeth and, again, tried to plunge into the dummy, but yet again slipped through it and into the ground. He pulled himself back out again and glared intensely at the dummy. Danny was saying something to him, as was Morgana, but he tuned them out as he kept his eyes on the dummy. Yet again he placed his hands on it, not noticing the glowing crimson red building in his palms until blasts of energy came out from them, destroying the dummy with a violent explosion and knocking Ren flat on his back. He slid several feet backwards until coming to a stop. The boy laid there, stunned, blinking dumbly as smoke trailed from his hands and a headache roared in the back of his skull. 

Danny quickly floated over to him, as did Morgana, who quickly abandoned his dummy and landed near his head. "Are you okay?!" Danny questioned worriedly. "You hit the ground pretty hard. Do you think you can sit up so I can look at you?"

Ren nodded dumbly and sat up. He looked down at his hands, which were slowly ceasing smoking. "What... was that?" he stammered. He barely paid attention as the observation room door slid open and his friends and Wakaba came hurrying up. Danny smiled.

"Ectoblasts. You developed that sooner than expected, apparently."

Ren winced as Wakaba touched the back of his head. "Why couldn't I overshadow, though?" he complained. Wakaba sighed as she pushed back locks of his hair to examine his scalp as best she could.

"When a ghost overshadows something, their energy flows into it and anchors. From what we were observing, your energy was not anchoring itself as it would normally. Nothing was wrong with your technique."

"So is he just not able to do it?" Ryuji questioned while Ren winced as she touched his head. Wakaba shrugged.

"It's... probable, but we'll see if it develops later on. For the moment, though, he doesn't seem to be able to." She sighed and ruffled Ren's hair. "Poor thing... you've got a bruise on the back of your head. It should heal on its own, though."

Ren sighed. "So is that it, then?"

"It's not a big deal," Danny reassured with a calm shrug, "not all ghost powers are universal. Just because you can't do that doesn't mean you don't have other abilities... as we saw."

"How interesting."

All eyes looked up in befuddlement at one of the scientists who had followed Wakaba. He appeared to be a middle-aged Japanese man with short, black hair, a square face, and piercing eyes. He held his hands behind his back and looked up to Wakaba. "Pardon me for stepping out, Sakura-san. I was merely curious. I believe I may have a suggestion as to why the young man couldn't overshadow."

Ren pulled himself up and stared at the man. "Um... I'm sorry, I'm at a disadvantage. You are?"

"Ah, where are my manners?" The man bowed. "I'm Dr. Daitaro Masaki. I'm an occasional observer of your training when I'm not working on my project."

"Project...?" Ryuji questioned. Wakaba nodded.

"He's an occasional observer of this practice session. Dr. Masaki is a ghost researcher who designed and is overseeing the construction of the world's largest ghost portal not far from Tokyo in an undisclosed location."

"That I am." he said proudly. "It will be all underground, 10 meters tall and 10 meters wide, at the bottom of a 30 meter deep laboratory, and it will be launched in late July." He sighed. "I wanted to go bigger, but the power requirements for starting one of the size being built is... well, a great amount." 

Ren frowned. "I mean no offense, but... there is more than just a door being installed on the portal, right? Having a gaping open portal of that size could draw a lot of ghosts through, very quickly, and get out of control."

"Ah, an astute question." He nodded. "The entire bunker is protected with several safeguards, among which are anti-ghost shields along the walls and ceilings, and yes, of course, a door. _Several_ doors. There is no need to be concerned about an invasion or anything of the like." He looked at Danny. "Besides, Dr. Fenton here imprisoned most of the troublemakers, didn't he?"

"Almost all of them, anyways." Danny said dryly. 

Ren cleared his throat. "If you don't mind my asking, what is the point of having such a large portal?"

"An excellent question. Practical." The man remarked. He crossed his arms. "We will be able to send larger vessels and equipment through the portal to engage in safer, longer-term studies. Current portals have been restricted to the Fenton portal size standards, which we're hoping to change."

"We're getting off-topic." Danny cut in. "You had a suggestion as to why he couldn't overshadow?"

"Ah! Pardon me, yes." The man turned to Ren. "Tell me... do you have any moral qualms with overshadowing or great discomfort involved with it?"

The boy nodded. "Yes. I don't like the idea of taking over a living being and suppressing their will. It seems like a violation of their autonomy and body." 

"And there it is." Dr. Masaki turned to Wakaba and Danny. "I'm sure you're both aware that the efficacy of powers can be very strongly impacted by the cognition of the ghost in question. So, given the young man's discomfort with the concept of overshadowing..."

The two other adults shared a look, as did the teenagers and Morgana. Ann scratched her head. "So is that it? He feels uncomfortable with it, so his body just isn't letting him?"

"Given my suspicions are correct, yes."

Danny smiled brightly at Dr. Masaki. "I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner. Thank you." He turned to Ren. "We'll pick this up next time after your exams, but in the meanwhile, I promise you we will never make you try to overshadow a living being. It would be nice if you can do it up to inanimate objects such as your dearly departed dummy--" Ren reddened as his friends snickered. "--but at least you can shoot ectoblasts already." He clapped his hands. "Alright, let's adjourn for the day. You all need to go home and study for your exams so you don't get grades like I did in Freshman year when all I did was hunt ghosts. Good luck, everyone."

Ryuji groaned. "We'll need it..."

* * *

  
Exam week was a breeze to Ren, compared to everything else he had to deal with. He helped Ryuji and Ann study to the best of his ability, and went home every day tired but relieved he was one day closer to being done with exams. For the time being, he pushed ghost business and his other woes to the back of his head as much as he could, and breezed through his exams. He anticipated no further challenge on the last day of exams as he met with Ann and Ryuji at the train station to head to school (Haru had been taken by car, apparently, courtesy a father who didn't want her to be late). Ann had seemed distracted and anxious the whole time and constantly looked over her shoulder. "I feel like I'm being followed." was what she said when he questioned her, but he couldn't see the mystery stalker on the train.

When they finally got off the train and headed to the escalators up to the streets, Ann looked over her shoulder again and flinched.

"Oh my god, that guy got off!" She turned to Ren with an anxious frown as she clutched her bag strap. "Isn't this bad...?"

Ren peered over her, down the escalator for the culprit, while Ryuji merely yawned and stretched his arms up. Ann scowled at him and put her hands on her hips. "Hey! At least act like you care!" 

The halfa snickered while Ryuji grumbled and scratched the back of his neck. "Fine... c'mon." He pushed past them, walking up the escalator. "Let's go."

They situated themselves at the ground level, where Ann waited with her back facing the escalators. Ren and Ryuji stood off to the sides of her, watching and waiting. True to her suspicion, an unforeseen boy came up the escalator and began to approach her, reaching out for her shoulder, when both Ren and Ryuji stepped in front of her, stopping him short as she turned to face him.

The mystery boy stopped. He was a tall, skinny boy with black pants and a white shirt with the logo of a school they didn't recognize. A keychain jangled from his hip as he moved. He had dark blue hair and dark gray eyes, which were befuddled as he stared at Ann, head cocked to the side. Ryuji cocked his head back at him. 

"Who are you?" 


	16. Art Boy

They spent several awkward seconds staring at the mystery boy in silence, who merely stared back as Ryuji leaned in, looked him over, and stood up straight, turning to Ann with a quizzical expression. "Hey, uh... you sure it's him, or are you just that self-conscious?"  
  
Ann reddened and glared at Ryuji. "Ugh! I'm not that--"  
  
"Is there something you want?" the mystery boy cut in. Ann glared icily at him, pushed past the boys, and pointed an accusatory finger at him.  
  
"That's my line! You were the one stalking me!"  
  
The boy gave the accusatory finger a befuddled stare before pushing back a lock of hair. "Stalking you? That's outrageous."  
  
"I know you've been following me! Ever since the train!"  
  
"That's because..."  
  
He paused as a car honking came, and all turned to see a black limo pull up to the curb closest to them. The passenger window in the back rolled down, revealing an elderly man with grayish white hair in a ponytail with a beard and mustache, decked in olive robes, his hands steepled together as he looked out the window. A placid smile was on his face as he spied the teens, and as his eyes laid on Ann, a knowing look came into his eyes.  
  
"My goodness... I had wondered why you left the car." he remarked wryly. "So this is where your passion led. All is well that ends well!" He broke into laughter as the mystery boy looked at him with an inscrutable expression and the other teens with open confusion.   
  
The blue-haired boy cleared his throat and held a hand to his chest. "I saw you from the car... and couldn't help myself from chasing after you." He looked up. "I didn't even notice the calls from Sensei... but thank goodness I caught up to you."  
  
"Okaaay..." Ann trailed uncomfortably, twisting one of her pigtails in a hand anxiously.  
  
"What?" Ryuji blurted. Ren remained silent, staring at the boy in befuddlement. The unforeseen boy stepped forward, eyes trained on Ann.  
  
"You're the woman I've been searching for all this time!" His voice grew desperate. "Please, won't you--"  
  
Ann backed away, swaying ever-so-slightly. "W-Wait a minute, I--"  
  
The boy threw his arm off to the side dramatically. "--be the model for my next art piece?!"  
  
The other teens blinked. They shared a bewildered, wide-eyed look. "M- Model...?" Ann sputtered. The boy nodded and put his arm down.  
  
"All that I've drawn til now has been lacking... but I feel a passion from you unlike anyone else."  
  
Morgana growled. "This man's _highly suspicious!"_ he whispered just low enough for Ren to hear.   
  
"Ain't this a recruit for some shady business?" Ryuji questioned, looking to Ren. The other boy seemed not to notice his comment as he leaned forward, holding his hands out.  
  
"Will you cooperate with me? What do you say?"  
  
"Hold your horses!" Ryuji snapped, stepping between them with a glare. "Who are you, anyways?"  
  
Yusuke's brows lifted, and he took a step back. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm a second-year at Kosei High's fine arts division. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa." He stepped forward, pushing Ryuji aside to reach Ann. "I'm Madarame-sensei's pupil, and I am being allowed residence at his place. I'm striving to become an artist."  
  
Ann's eyes widened. "Huh?! You mean THAT Madarame?! The one who was on 'Good Morning Japan' the other day?"  
  
Yusuke nodded. "The very same."  
  
Ryuji looked to Ann. "You know who that is?"  
  
Ann nodded. "He was introduced as a super-famous Japanese-style artist who's been recognized all over the world."  
  
"Yusuke!" the old man in the car beckoned impatiently. Yusuke's eyes widened.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sensei! I'll be right there!"  
  
"That old guy's Madarame...?" Ryuji questioned incredulously. Yusuke ignored him and stepped forward towards Ann.  
  
"Madarame-sensei's exhibition will begin at the department store near the station tomorrow. I'll be there to help out on opening day. Please come by; it'd be great if you could give me your answer in regard to being a model then..." He turned to Ryuji with a glare as he passed three tickets to Ann. "I doubt you have any interest in the fine arts, but I'll give you tickets, too."   
  
Ryuji glared at him, which the boy paid little attention to. Yusuke was about to turn and head for the car with one last glance towards Ann. "Well, then, I hope to see you--" He stopped short and quickly, the look of irritation twisted into confusion as he did a double take at Ren, who cleared his throat uncomfortably.   
  
"Uh... is there a problem?"  
  
The boy didn't respond. He merely took a step back and framed Ren with his fingers before frowning and putting his arms down with a shake of the head. "Where have I seen you before...? You look... familiar."  
  
"This is our first meeting. You must be imagining it." Ren dismissed quickly. Yusuke sighed.  
  
"That must be the case, but... hmm." He looked at his teacher's car. "Nevermind. Perhaps come with her to the exhibition." He turned to Ann. "I hope to see you then."  
  
As the car took off, Ryuji tapped his foot irritably against the ground. "That guy's as easy to read as a book..." He turned to Ann. "You're not plannin' on goin', are you?"  
  
"... I think I will." She turned to Ren with a frown, ignoring the boys' open looks of shock. "But I think you should skip it. I don't like the look he gave you."  
  
"I'll take my chances if you're going." Ren said with a shrug. Ann looked as though she was going to say something when she pulled her phone from her pocket and checked the time. Her eyes widened.   
  
"Crap, look at the time! I'll see you later!"  
  
She took off, leaving the boys stunned. Morgana grumbled. "How DARE he go after Lady Ann! I've memorized that face of yours, Yusuke!"  


* * *

  
"It's over!"  
  
"It's over..."  
  
Ann beamed in relief and Ryuji sighed in exhaustion. The group had gotten together after exams in the train station. Haru seemed calm, Ryuji had been leaning against a concrete pillar, grimacing, eyes closed, and Ann was stretching her arms up, relaxed. The blond boy pushed himself off and away from the pillar, still wincing, before giving Ren an exhausted look. "How 'bout you...?"  
  
"I'm feeling confident."  
  
"You traitor!" Ryuji groaned and shook his head. "Anyways, can we stop talkin' about exams? Like it or not, they're gonna come back graded next week..."  
  
"Do you need tutoring for next time, Sakamoto-kun?" Haru questioned. He groaned.  
  
"Can't afford that..."  
  
"I'll help you next time." Ren promised. "We'll just do study sessions. You'll be fine."  
  
Ryuji sighed. "That's... nice. Thanks. But, rather than focus on stuff that's over with..."  
  
"We have the afternoon off," Haru piped up, "why don't we go get lunch? You can tell me more about that artist boy you met this morning then."  
  
Ren paused as his phone buzzed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see a text from his teacher.  
  
_ **Danny:** My wife's OB/GYN had to push back an appointment for her to Monday afternoon. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cancel lessons that afternoon._  
  
_ **Danny:** I know you just finished exams, but if you'd like to practice today instead, I'm open._  
  
_ **Danny:** No pressure. Just let me know._  
  
Ren pursed his lips. He was tempted to say no until he heard Morgana gasp.   
  
"Ooh, say yes!"  
  
"Yes to what?" Haru questioned. Ren sighed and displayed the text messages.   
  
"I'll just tell him no thanks," Ren said, "if we want to--"  
  
"No, we should go." Ann said. "You need to keep up on that."  
  
Ren wilted under the expectant gazes of his friends, and with a sigh, he acquiesced.  


* * *

  
Overshadowing wasn't improving. No matter how much he tried, Ren couldn't take over a practice dummy laid out for him. While he practiced, Morgana focused and managed to summon his own ectoblasts for the first time, which were a turquoise, bluish green in contrast to Ren's crimson red blasts. Danny decided to have them move onto target practice to hone that skill instead, and chatted as they practiced.  
  
"... So if I understand correctly, you all got invited to an art show tomorrow by... Madarame's kid?" Danny questioned. Ren nodded and shot another target, singing the interior of an already blackened target.  
  
"Mhm."  
  
"I don't like Yusuke." Morgana huffed as he took a shot. "He was disturbing Lady Ann."  
  
Danny scoffed. "He probably learned that behavior from his teacher... well, I shouldn't be saying that. I don't know that for sure, and I'm biased."  
  
Ren gave him a funny look as he shot a bullseye with one finger. "Biased?"  
  
"It's for really stupid, petty reasons." Danny huffed. "Madarame just happens to bear a resemblance to a man I don't like. I don't have any proof that he's done anything wrong, he just looks like someone I know and don't like."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Danny hesitated, then sighed and took a shot of his own. "Make sure you aim properly before you fire. Don't fire without looking. Anyways..." He shrugged. "I hope you never have to meet him, but the first guy who became a half ghost-- Vlad Masters-- is nothing short of a monster. If I had my way, he'd be in jail, but I don't have enough evidence to get him on charges of anything. Plus, he's been silent ever since the bureau registered him as a halfa." Danny scoffed and took another frustrated shot at a target. "Guess he decided to stay out of trouble because the authorities know what he is now. Haven't heard from him in years. I won't give you the fine details of why I hate him, but should you ever encounter him, avoid him. He's a piece of shit." He scoffed. "And I suppose I'm being unfair, but Madarame has the same sort of hair style and color. Different face, but he has that plus this... look in his eyes I don't trust. I understand they're wholly different people, but I can't shake the disgust from his appearance."   
  
The man looked at the targets and nodded. "Alright, we'll wrap this up with one last try. I want the two of you to hold your palms together like this--" He put his hands side-by-side, arms stretched out in front of himself. "--level your eyes with your target, and push. You'll get a more powerful blast."  
  
They moved their hands as ordered, focused, and pushed. Side-by-side, two powerful blasts escaped their hands (or paws) and destroyed the targets, rendering them into ashes. Over their earbuds, they heard Ryuji and Futaba cheer excitedly and Ann and Haru clapped. "Good work." Wakaba's voice came. Danny smiled and put his hands on his hips.  
  
"I think that should do it for today. Good job. Ren, don't feel bad about the overshadowing thing. No one's perfect." He shrugged. "Maybe you'll get it eventually, maybe not. Took me years to get down duplication myself, and even now, I have trouble with it."  
  
Morgana frowned. "Uh... by duplication, what do you mean?"  
  
Danny multiplied into four copies of himself, and giggled at the shouts of surprise that the kids let out.  


* * *

  
Ren and his friends had gone out for dinner, and by the time Ren got home, he had intended for a quiet night in when Mishima texted him and asked if he wanted to hang out. Though he had hesitated, he finally acquiesced and flew out, leaving Morgana with Futaba and heeding a worried "don't let anyone see you flying around like that!" from Sojiro. He met the boy at the diner in Shibuya, though he noted the boy looked exhausted as they sat down to talk.  
  
"So... how goes the training?" he questioned, then yawned. He flushed. "Oh, sorry. Haven't been getting a lot of sleep."  
  
Ren shrugged. "Fine. Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." he dismissed with a shrug. "Just been working on the Phansite. You know, moderating, kicking out haters, the usual." He smiled. "Most comments have been very complimentary, but there's always ectophobes to deal with." He rolled his eyes. "I can't believe anyone hates ghosts off the cuff, what with Phantom-sama's heroics for more than a decade."  
  
Ren grimaced. "I would know. My parents were _massive _ectophobes."  
  
Mishima winced and looked at him with pity Ren hated. "O- Oh... _oh. _I'm... sorry to hear that."  
  
"It's in the past." Ren said with a wave of the hand. "Anyways, try not to overwork yourself, especially not for our sake. I can live with some negative comments if it means you take proper care of yourself."  
  
The other boy grinned. "And _that's_ why you're going to make a great hero. You care about other people."   
  
Ren flushed. "I mean it, though. Don't run yourself ragged; we have school to contend with, and you're not getting paid for this, so don't fuss on my behalf."  
  
"T- Thanks. Leave it to me; I'll be your PR, so to speak, but I'll try to take it easier." He smiled again. "So, really, how's training going? Is your sensei making you work hard? Learn anything new? Got any new powers?" The boy paused and yawned again. "S- Sorry... I think I'd fall asleep on the spot if I weren't talking to you."  
  
The halfa frowned and examined him. True to his word, Mishima looked exhausted. Dark bags were underneath his eyes and his eyes were half-lidded, fighting back closing. He shook himself out of it as Ren gave him a worried frown.  
  
"Just... wait here. I'm gonna go take care of the tab."  
  
"I can't ask you to..."  
  
"Think of it as thanks for your work."   
  
Mishima stopped objecting. By the time Ren got back, the boy was fast asleep in the booth, leaning against the wall.  
  
Ren pursed his lips and patted the boy's arm, rousing him. He yawned and sat upright, rubbing his eyes as Ren began to worry for the boy's safety--_ what if he falls asleep on the train?_  
  
"Amamiya...?"  
  
"What's your address?"  


* * *

  
Ren scanned the alleyway he led Mishima to with the Third Eye, ignoring as the boy behind him shivered anxiously and kept looking around in the darkness.  
  
When Ren was satisfied that no one was looking and no security cameras were seen, he ducked behind a dumpster and quickly transformed, causing Mishima to jump back instinctively from the flames. Joker rose to his feet and stretched his arms as Mishima gawked dumbly at the glowing teenage ghost, who turned his eyes to him.  
  
"Alright, hold on." he warned. Mishima didn't get a chance to question him before Ren flew forward and grabbed him, positioned him in his arms carefully, and took off. Mishima yelped and clung tightly to Joker as the boy flew with him upward invisibly, above most of the buildings, and flew over the city. Joker held him tightly as the other boy wrapped his arms around him, shaking all the while and breathing heavily. Their hair whipped through the cold night air and the city lights sparkled in the night, flashing all colors of the rainbow and decorating the sleepless city. Mishima was torn between looking out in awe and closing his eyes to look away and pretend like he wasn't at a height and speed that would kill him if Joker let go of him.  
  
Ren spied the apartment building and began to descend to an alleyway behind the structure. He turned visible and put Mishima down gently, who was by this point wide awake and blinking rapidly as he turned to look at Joker. "T- Thank you!"  
  
"Don't mention it. Literally, don't mention it. To anyone. I'll get in trouble." He waved and floated up. "I'm going home. See you at school."  
  
"S- See you at school!"  
  
Ren made his own way home, and soon enough, he reached Leblanc, phased into the dark attic, and transformed back to normal. He heard a yawn from Morgana on his bed behind him, and a startled grunt from Sojiro downstairs.  
  
"Ren? You home?" he questioned. "I hope that's your footsteps I'm hearing."  
  
"Yeah, it's just me."   
  
"Good, I'm closing up soon. Good night."  
  
"Night."  
  
Morgana yawned and tucked himself into a ball as Ren put on his pajamas. "I told Futaba about the art show," he murmured, "she's not disappointed that she doesn't has a ticket. She said she'd be too scared to deal with the crowds, but wants us to meet up in the attic afterwards and tell her what happens tomorrow after the exhibition. She said she found some rumors about Madarame she wanted to talk to us about."  
  
Ren pulled on his pajama shirt and turned to his cat. "What sort of rumors?" he questioned, hands on his hips. Morgana's ears twitched.  
  
"She just said that he's rumored to abuse his apprentices, and that you should keep an eye on the 'art boy' as she called him." He yawned and stretched his front legs out. "Come on, let's go to bed. We need to be up in time for the exhibition."


	17. Exhibition

There ended up being a massive line to get into the exhibition, which Ryuji, Ann, Ren, Haru, and Morgana managed to slip past with their tickets Yusuke had given them. Haru tagging along had been a surprise, but when they asked her where she got her tickets, she merely declined to answer.   
  
"So crowded..." Morgana muttered from Ren's bag as he propped himself up on the boy's shoulder to peer into the exhibit. Ren silently agreed-- he had an urge to slip into invisible intangibility and flee.  
  
Ryuji frowned at the cat. "It'll be a pain in the ass if someone sees you, so don't stick your head out too much, alright?"   
  
Morgana wordlessly tucked himself back in the back just as Yusuke approached Ann with a smile. "You came!"  
  
Ann nodded awkwardly. "Um... yeah."  
  
Yusuke's face turned to Ryuji, and his smile twisted to a glare. "You really came..."  
  
Ryuji huffed and crossed his arms. "What'd you expect when you gave us those tickets?!"  
  
"Make sure you don't get in the way of the other visitors." he warned. The boy turned his gaze to Haru and quirked an eyebrow. "Who's this?"  
  
"My name is Haru Okumura," she answered, "I'm a friend of theirs and thought I'd come to see the exhibition myself."  
  
"Hmph." Yusuke finally turned to Ren, and yet again, his expression twisted to that of befuddlement as he took him in. Ren was silent and looked away towards the closest painting. The boy shook his head. "Yet again, I swear, I've seen you somewhere before, but I can't quite place it..." He sighed. "Perhaps I'll have a word with you later." He turned back to Ann. "Come now. I'll show you around. I'd like to speak more about the picture I'd like to draw, too."   
  
Ann looked over her shoulder with a defeated frown. "Well, see you guys later."  
  
Morgana popped out of the bag, eyes wide with horror as they walked away. "Will Lady Ann be alright?! What if he drags her behind some painting and tries something funny?!" he whined, voice in a whisper with only great effort and great dismay and fear. Ryuji scowled as he turned to him.  
  
"I told you not to come out!" Ryuji grumbled as Morgana tucked himself back in the bag. "Are we really gonna 'appreciate' the fine arts? Can't we just go home?" he whined. Haru shook her head.  
  
"We're here. We should learn what we can about Madarame while we're here."   
  
Ryuji groaned and hung his head. "I guess we should do a quick pass through it once..." He looked over the crowded exhibit. "Uh... which way are we supposed to start?"  
  
They took a few steps into the exhibit before they stopped as Ryuji did. The boy grunted as he looked over to the old man they had seen the day prior with reporters. "It's the old man from the other day."  
  
Though it was difficult over the crowd, Ren was able to hear what the reporters were asking him.  
  
"We continued to be truly surprised by your imagination. You have such expansive styles, it's hard to believe it all stems from one person. Where in the world does all your inspiration come from?" a reporter asked. The man smiled softly and put a hand on his chin as Ryuji took a few steps toward him to hear.   
  
"Well... it is rather difficult to put into words... they naturally bubble up from within my heart like bubbles rising up one after another in a spring."  
  
Ren finally took a few steps up to catch up with Ryuji, Haru close at his heel as the reporter continued. "Naturally, you say?"  
  
Madarame nodded. "What's important is to distance oneself from worldly desires such as money and fame. My atelier is a modest shack, but it is more than enough to pursue true beauty."  
  
"I see... so emptying one's mind gives rise to inner beauty. Still, to think we could hear the word 'shack' coming from the great artist Madarame."  
  
The man chuckled. "You would understand if you saw it."  
  
The teens shared a look, only to be pushed aside by a rapidly growing crowd.  
  
"Madarame is actually here?!"  
  
"Over there!"  
  
"I'm so glad I came on opening day!"  
  
"Hey, stop pushin'!" Ryuji gasped, but his cry went unheeded as they were lost in the crowd. He groaned. "There's way too many people!"  
  
"I'm getting crushed...!" Morgana gasped as people pushed up against Ren's bag roughly to get to Madarame.   
  
"We should get to the exit," Haru said with a wince, "hang in there, Morgana-chan...!"

* * *

  
"I didn't know there were so many types of Japanese art." Ann remarked. She and Yusuke had found their way toward the back corner of the exhibit, where she looked up at paintings on the wall with awe.   
  
"Usually, one concentrates on their own style," Yusuke replied, "however, Sensei creates all of this by himself. He's special."  
  
"There you are, Yusuke."  
  
Both looked up to see Madarame, having pulled away from the crowd, approaching the two with a smile. Yusuke quickly turned on his heel, his eyes widening. "Sensei!"  
  
Madarame peered to the side of Yusuke at Ann curiously. "Ah, the girl from yesterday. Are you enjoying the exhibit?"  
  
Ann nodded. "I don't know how to put it in words... but it's really amazing."  
  
The man smiled. "You're sensing something from the artwork... that alone is enough to give us artists satisfaction. I hope this becomes a wonderful piece, Yusuke. Well then, if you'll excuse me."  
  
As he walked off, Ann turned to Yusuke. "You'd imagine artists would be difficult to approach... but he seems really friendly."  
  
"Indeed." Yusuke agreed as he finally turned all the way back to her. Ann turned away and approached another painting.  
  
"Oh, this is it-- the painting I wanted to see in person."  
  
Yusuke frowned as he followed after her. "This one...?"  
  
She nodded, though her expression turned from excitement to confusion. The painting itself was of looking between a thicket of trees into a red sunset. "I guess it's the painter's... anger? I'm not sure, but I sense this... strong frustration from it. To think such a cheerful and gentlemanly man could make such a piece..."  
  
The boy grunted with discomfort and looked away as Ann turned to give him a confused stare. "Something wrong?"  
  
Yusuke shook his head. "Don't mind me. There are better pieces than... this one. Come now, this way!"  
  
Without waiting for her, he started walking off.  
  
"H- Hey!" Ann cried as she hurried to keep up.

* * *

  
"Ugh... that old lady totally elbowed me." Ryuji winced as he rubbed his hip. "Too bad you couldn't just phase us out..."  
  
"We would have been seen for sure." Morgana huffed.   
  
"Shouldn't we be worried about Ann-chan...?" Haru questioned.   
  
"... Anyways, it reminded me." Ryuji cut back in.  
  
The four had gathered on the side of a walkway not far from the exhibit. Heavy rain pelted the city and pattered against the glass walls around them, something Ren found soothing, helping his frayed nerves from the crowd. He had been in the middle of texting Ann when he looked up, sent his text, and shoved the phone in his pocket. "I told her where she is and explained we got overcrowded. We'll wait here for her. Anyways, reminded you of what?"  
  
Ryuji held up his phone from where he sat on the ground, allowing the others with him to peer at the screen. He didn't get a word out before Ann's voice reached them.  
  
"Why'd you just ditch me?!"  
  
Ryuji cringed as he looked up. "You got it all wrong, we got swept away, and--"  
  
"I literally just sent you a text about it," Ren cut in, "I'm glad you found us without it."  
  
Ann pulled her phone out to read the text, sighed, and put it back. "Alright. So what were you trying to show us, Ryuji?"  
  
Ryuji held his phone up. "Futaba forwarded this to us. This post might be about Madarame."  
  
"What's it say?" Haru questioned.   
  
"'A master of the Japanese arts is plagiarizing his pupil's work. Only his public face is seen on TV."  
  
Morgana gasped. "Plagiarizing?"  
  
"That would explain why all the paintings have different art styles." Ren remarked, putting a hand to his chin. "Didn't that seem odd to all of you?"  
  
Ryuji nodded and looked back at the phone. "'The treatment of his pupils who live with him is awful. He teaches them nothing and bosses them around. He treats them inhumanely, as if disciplining a dog..."  
  
Morgana huffed. "Abuse on top of plagiarizing, hm...?"  
  
"I wonder if Kitagawa-kun posted this." Ann remarked. "I mean, he is a pupil of his."  
  
Ryuji shrugged and looked up at her. "Who knows? It's anonymous and all..."  
  
"So what do we do with this information?" Haru questioned. "Should we ask Kitagawa-kun about it?"  
  
"We shouldn't be too pushy about it," Ren said, "we want him to feel safe enough to come to us with his concerns. We can't force him into anything." He scoffed. "If you had asked me if my parents were abusive or neglectful before my accident, I..." He looked away. "I probably would have said no, not at all... just to keep appearances..."  
  
"Ren-kun..." Ann murmured. Morgana nodded.  
  
"He's right. We should approach this slowly and carefully. Besides, if we make a move out in the open, there's a chance Madarame will find out."  
  
Ann groaned and twisted a lock of hair in her hand. "A man like that doing such a thing...?"  
  
"We'll find out soon." Haru cut in. "Did you have a word with Kitagawa-kun about modeling?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes. We exchanged numbers and he asked if I had time tomorrow to model. Considering Fenton-sama will be busy, it would be a good time for us to go over and see what we can figure out."

* * *

  
The group had made an agreement to gather at the atelier the following day, and with that, the group dispersed and soon enough, it was the next day. In contrast to the rain of the previous day, the sun was shining through clean white puffy clouds hanging over Tokyo's streets. Ren and Morgana took to the skies on their way to school, flying invisibly and intangibly, but enjoying the sensation of the clean, cool air.   
  
Ren in particular let out a contented sigh as he rolled onto his back and flew backwards through the air, looking up at the sky instead of where he was going. This was one of the few things he enjoyed as a half ghost-- flight. Flight came naturally to him, and when he was finally permitted to fly instead of taking the train, he jumped at the opportunity. The air rippled through his hair and splashed against his face as he flipped back around and rounded the side of a building. He took a moment to look down at the deadlocked traffic and crowds-- for a moment, he pitied them, but also felt the relief and freedom flight afforded him.  
  
He decided to take a dive downward and do something of an upside-down loop, which he flew into another loop, this time upward, from it. He laughed cheerfully as he felt the rush of air against him and heard the rustling of his coat in the wind, and continued to twist and turn in the air with ease and grace. He twisted up into the air into backwards loop and twirled at the end of it, flipping him in the opposite direction. The boy followed up by repeating the move, this time flipping him back in the direction of school. The thought of even being a little late from the dawdling didn't even cross his mind as he, at least for a moment, forgot the world in his dancing through the air.  
  
Only when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket and heard Morgana yelling at him did he stop. With an annoyed grunt, he looked in the direction of Mona and saw the outline of the cat his Third Eye afforded him. The cat had stopped short and crossed his stubby arms, his tail twitching with irritation.   
  
"Morgana? What's wrong?"  
  
"Are you done putting on a show?"  
  
Ren gave the cat a befuddled stare.   
  
"Uh... I'm just having fun. We're invisible, who's gonna notice?"  
  
Morgana pointed downward with an unimpressed stare, and Ren followed his paw to the ground-- only to see people staring up, phones out and filming him. Some had even stepped out of their cars to catch a glimpse of his acrobatics. Immediately, he loudly yelped in shock and alarm, his face going red just before he went invisible again and took off as quickly as he could. When he reached the roof of the school and transformed back to normal, his face still burned just as much as it did before he fled. While Morgana landed and transformed as well, he decided to check his phone while he allowed the cat to climb into his bag.   
_  
**Futaba: **DO A BARREL ROLL  
_  
He groaned and hurriedly rushed inside, ignoring Morgana's protests to slow down as he rushed down the stairs. The boy just pushed his glasses up his nose and kept his head down as he proceeded. No one seemed to notice him as they gathered around their phones and watched the video no doubt already all over the internet, giggling and squealing. It did nothing to help his nerves as he heard the whispering and snickering over how cute Joker was.  
  
As he reached the second-years' floor, he heard someone whistle to him.  
  
"Yo!" Ryuji's voice came. Ren sheepishly looked up to see Ryuji hurrying to him with a grin. The boy laughed as he approached him. "You're still totally red in the face!"  
  
"Shuddup!" Ren protested, ducking his head. Ryuji playfully nudged him with his arm.  
  
"Ain't nothing wrong with a little showing off, y'know!"  
  
"Ryuji, s- stop," Ann's voice came, struggling to hold back laughter, "you're going to break him."  
  
Ren groaned and peeked up at his opposite side to see Ann approaching, beaming and biting back laughter with great effort. He looked away pointedly, toward the stairs-- only to see Haru coming up the stairs with a similarly giggly smile that only broadened at the sight of him.  
  
"Oh, Ren-kun!" she squealed as she hurried up to him. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You're a wonderful flier!"  
  
"No one was supposed to see!" he protested. "I was just..."  
  
"Just messing around, right?" Ryuji teased. Ann, Haru, and Morgana tittered as Ren buried his face in his hands.  
  
"He is a good flier, but his invisibility could use more practice." Morgana whispered, drawing more snickers. Ren groaned.  
  
"Why are you all so mean to me?"  
  
"Because we love you!" Ann said cheerfully, reaching in to throw an arm around him and noogie him. Finally, in spite of himself, Ren laughed and smiled.  
  
"You guys are going to be the death of me... Phantom-sensei, too." He groaned. "I am going to get so much shit from him."  
  
Ann giggled and tugged on his arm. "Come on, we're going to be late!" She waved at Ryuji and Haru. "See you guys later!"  
  
"Later, Ann." Ryuji said with a wave, and off everyone went. As Ren entered his classroom, people were hunching over their phones and giggling as he reddened again. His eyes fell on Mishima, who met his gaze with a funny, scrunched, pursed smile that reminded him of Ann trying to fight back her own laughter and failing. His own red face only tightened with restraint at the sight of Ren's very red face.  
  
Ren subtly flipped him off quickly. The swift movement was not missed by Mishima, who finally broke, wheezed, and shoved his face on his desk to muffle his laughter. His back shook as he laughed into his desk. Ren groaned, let Morgana into his desk, and laid his head down. He slung an arm over the side of his face and remained in that position until his phone buzzed. When he took it out, he immediately regretted it.  
  
_**Danny:** So..._  
  
_ **Ren: **Not. A. Word._  
  
_ **Danny: **I'm your sensei, I get to have a word. And that is... you are hilarious and I'm glad to see you're an excellent flier. _  
_ **  
Danny:** I'm not joking about that part, btw. Those flips and twists are harder to get down than they look._  
  
_ **Danny: **You should put on a show and charge for admission._  
  
_ **Ren: **You're hilarious._  
_ **  
Danny: **I know, aren't I?_  
**  
_Danny:_**_ See you at practice! We're having an impromptu lesson on invisibility tomorrow._


	18. The Shack

_As if this day couldn't get any worse..._  
  
The color had drained from Ren's face as he looked at his exam scores at lunchtime.   
_  
I'm an idiot. I fucked up. They're going to be so mad at me... fuck fuck FUCK._  
  
Ren pulled away from the test scores and to the bathroom, where he struggled to control his breathing. He began splashing water on his face to try to calm his nerves, but he could still feel his heart racing and his core pulsing anxiously. The urge to transform hit him as panic overwhelmed him. Morgana was saying something to him, but he ignored him as he looked around, ensured no one was around, and phased through the wall and to the outside of the back of the school to the hidden location Makoto had told him about. It was a quiet corner behind the gym that was private enough; few knew it was there, or even that it was reachable. While not as easily accessible as the rooftop, it provided more privacy, enabling Ren to give into the urge to transform safely as he tried to control his breathing.  
  
"Ren, you're okay." Morgana urged, patting his arm as he phased out of the bag. "You did fine."  
  
"I'm only second in my class," Ren griped, "what if they get mad at me for not being at the very top?"  
  
Morgana shook his head. "The Sakuras aren't who your parents were. They're not going to be mad at you. You're never going to have to deal with anger over not being number one all the time anymore."  
  
Ren exhaled sharply and shook his head as he turned to his cat. "You think so?"  
  
Morgana nodded and purred as he butt his head against his arm. "I know so."  
  
"Ren-Ren!"  
  
Ren's head shot up as Ryuji lead the pack of his friends up to him, the blond boy with a big smile on his face as he approached him. "You did great on exams, dude!" he praised. "I'm gonna need your help studying more to get my teachers off my ass."  
  
"Me too!" came Ann's voice, and Ren sheepishly blinked and managed a small smile as his friends came to sit next to him. Ren scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"Oh... I could have done better, though..."  
  
Haru shrugged. "I think you did well, Ren-kun. Why do you look so upset?"  
  
Morgana sighed and stretched, front to back. "It's because of his former parents. They used to really tear into him and punish him if he wasn't the very top of his class at all times, and even then, they'd sometimes poke and prod him over missing a few points if he did."  
  
Ryuji scowled. "What_ assholes!"_  
  
Ann nodded and scowled as she opened her lunch box. "I agree, but I really doubt your new guardians are going to be upset, Ren-kun."  
  
Ren sighed. "I hope so." He looked down at himself and shook his head. "Uh... just a heads-up, I'm going to go ahead and transform back."  
  
"Did you transform out of stress?" Ryuji questioned bluntly, already with a mouth full of sandwich. Ren nodded, and as the boy swallowed, he shook his head. "Nah. You should stay like that for awhile. Get it out of your system."  
  
"It'll help ensure better control over it later in the day." Morgana agreed. "Besides, no one knows we're back here except for maybe the student council president and..." He paused, and his ears pinned back. "... Oh. On second thought, maybe you _should_ change back..."  
  
They heard the clearing of a throat, causing Ren to yelp and turn invisible on instinct as everyone looked up to see who was intruding. A bewildered Mishima was the intruder, hands in his pockets and looking at where Ren was supposed to be apprehensively. The group relaxed and let out sighs of relief, and even Ren turned visible and breathed sharply. "It's just you, Mishima-kun."  
  
"Sorry to startle you." he apologized sheepishly. He continued gawking at Ren as if he had grown a second head. "Um... sorry..."  
  
Ryuji snickered and elbowed Ren. "Too bad you couldn't have done that the whole way to school, but then I guess the city wouldn't have gotten a show this morning."  
  
Ren made a noise of protest and elbowed Ryuji back as the boy snickered. "Oh, shut up."  
  
Mishima shook his head. "It's not so bad." He held his phone out and smiled, a giggle escaping him. "Your stunt show this morning excited everyone, accident or not. The percentage of people excited about Tokyo having their own ghost superheroes jumped by no less than 5%, maybe more, within a few hours. Your sensei's already released a public statement about it, too-- he said you were just having too much fun flying to lessons and didn't mean to cause a stir. He also mentioned that he'll need to give you remedial invisibility lessons. Have a look at the comments."  
  
_"👏LET👏JOKER👏FLY👏"  
  
"no don't teach him how to be invisible properly he's adorable"  
  
"I would literally die for Joker"  
  
"LET HIM FLY"  
  
"HE WAS SO HAPPY LEAVE HIM ALONE"  
  
"im sorry joker but ur under arrest. being that cute is illegal"  
  
"petition to have Phantom stop teaching Joker invisibility"_  
  
On top of that, gifs of him looking down at the crowd, yelling, and going invisible had become a meme and were being posted all over the site. Ren groaned and covered his face with his hands as his friends snickered. He felt his own phone buzz, and as he took it out, he saw another text from Futaba.  
_  
**Futaba: **CONGRATS ON BECOMING A MEME_  
  
"Fuck." he groused. "God damn it."  
  
"You are pretty cute, Ren. Morgana, too." Ann giggled from where she sat cross-legged by him. "But it's really only helping you both to be that cute."  
  
"She's right." Haru agreed. "My father owns a business. He says having a cute mascot is good for business."  
  
"We're not mascots, though..." Morgana whined. "We're _ghosts._ Half ghosts, but at least partially ghosts nonetheless. Aren't ghosts supposed to be_ scary?"_  
  
Ryuji laughed. "Not when it's either of you, I guess. It's not a bad thing, though."  
  
Haru nodded. "There's nothing wrong with being cute. It leads people to underestimate you, which can work to your advantage. They'll never suspect you of being able to overpower them." As she giggled, the others gave her a startled, wide-eyed look. She cleared her throat and continued. "Also, I was genuinely impressed by your skills. Flight looked very natural to you."  
  
"It_ is _pretty amazing." Mishima agreed, sharing a brief, knowing look with Ren, who sighed and leaned back against the wall.  
  
"It was good." he agreed, eyes softening as he finally smiled slightly. "It _feels _good. Feels like_ freedom_. Like no one can hold me down and nothing can stop me. It's one of the few things I like about being... you know."  
  
"You need to accept this already." Ryuji said bluntly, rolling a shoulder back. "You're stuck like this. Might as well have some fun with it, right?" He beamed. "Oh, and maybe with more practice, you could figure out more tricks. It'd be sweet to watch you put on a show."  
  
Ren rolled his eyes. "Futaba already asked me to a do a barrel roll. I can only imagine the requests I'm going to get with this nonsense."  
  
Mishima laughed. "I'll leave you to it, then. I'm going to get lunch. See you later."  
  
The boy tucked his phone in his pocket and headed back towards the front of the building. As he rounded the side of the gym, he paused as he heard something like footsteps hurrying away rapidly. He looked around himself, but saw nothing, and after a moment's pause, he sighed and shook his head. "I'm getting too jumpy..." he muttered. He continued on and upon reaching the front entrance, he saw the student council president panting a bit and brushing her knees and skirt off. He frowned. "Niijima-senpai?"  
  
The girl yelped and turned on her heel to face Mishima. "O- Oh! Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm just seeing if you're alright." The boy scratched the back of his neck. "Um... you're just breathing sort of hard is all."  
  
Makoto quickly shook her head with widened eyes. "I'm fine! I'm fine." She forced a laugh. "I've been running errands for teachers this afternoon. I just needed a moment to breathe. I'm fine."  
  
Mishima shrugged. "Alright. See you later, Niijima-senpai."  
  
The boy passed her and headed inside. The girl continued to stand there and catch her breath before she pulled a small notebook from her pocket and jotted down some notes. Niijima looked over her shoulder, pocketed the notebook, and quietly headed inside the school.

* * *

  
Madarame's atelier was best described as a dilapidated shack.  
  
It was two story structure with rusting panels of sheet metal lining the outside walls. Bolts were visible on all the sheets, adhering them to the walls. The few windows were little better; one of them was even missing a screen and had a wooden plank in the opening. The windows looked dirty and dusty, and the building itself sat beneath precarious telephone lines hanging between poles with various posters taped to them. It stuck out in comparison to the building next door, which in and of itself was modest but looked safe to touch with white concrete walls.  
  
"Is... that it?" Ryuji questioned dubiously. Ann nodded.  
  
"We're at the right address..." she confirmed. "The door plate says 'Madarame.'"  
  
Haru fought back a grimace as she looked up at the structure. "It's... very rustic? It sure is... something."  
  
Ren huffed. "I'm getting tetanus just looking at it..." he whispered. Ryuji winced and stretched his shoulder, looking away.   
  
"Uhh... you press the doorbell." he said to Ann. Her eyes widened as she turned to him.  
  
"Me?! The walls won't collapse when I do, will they...?"  
  
Morgana snickered. "No one sneeze, or we'll blow the house down, okay?"  
  
They approached the door, and after a moment of apprehension, Ann pressed the doorbell. Yusuke's voice piped up immediately over the receiver. "Who is it? Sensei is currently--"  
  
"It's Takamaki."  
  
"I'll be right out!"   
  
Haru winced. "People really do live here..." she murmured. Ryuji shuddered.  
  
"I know, right?"  
  
The door slid open as Yusuke stepped into the doorway, eyes widening. "Takamaki-sa--" He paused and his wide-eyed expression shifted to the others from Ann. His face twisted to annoyance as he glared at Ryuji and Haru. "You two are here as well?"  
  
"I'm standing right here..." Ren muttered. Yusuke looked over at him and shook his head before turning back to the others. Ryuji and Haru both managed nervous smiles.   
  
"Hey." Ryuji greeted. Ann cleared her throat.  
  
"I just brought them for... moral support. I'm pretty nervous is all, and my friend here in particular you seemed pretty interested by."  
  
Yusuke glanced at Ren again, sighed, and nodded. "... Very well. Come inside and we can get started."  
  
The interior of the building was stuffy, hot, and smelled of canvas and paint, with no relief in sight as they headed inside and upstairs. The walls were covered in dusty old paintings of varying quality by former students, some of which looked as though they hadn't been touched in years. As they passed a hallway, Ren heard a heavy-sounding door open and close, followed by approaching, clacking steps. Yusuke stopped and looked up as Madarame approached from the end of the hall, a placid smile on his face. Yusuke cleared his throat. "Ah, Sensei, this-- this is my model, and her friends... for moral support for her." he explained quickly. Madarame chuckled softly.  
  
"No need to panic, Yusuke. I was just seeing who you brought upstairs. They all look like fine young people." He beamed at Ann. "Thank you for making time for my apprentice. He's very excited to have new inspiration."  
  
Ann reddened. "O- Oh, thank you..."  
  
Madarame looked over the rest of the group, only to pause as his eyes landed on Ren. Ren stiffened as Madarame leaned forward curiously before pulling back. "Pardon my curiosity," he said, "would you happen to be Ren Amamiya? The survivor of that accident?"  
  
Yusuke's brows lifted as he turned to Ren. "Accident...?"  
  
Ren's throat cleared awkwardly. "Ah, yes... that's me. How did you--"  
  
"I'm acquainted with Vladimir Masters, the first man to survive the sort of thing you did." the man elaborated, putting a hand to his chin. "Eccentric, odd man with very American tastes, but intriguing to talk to. We don't speak often, but when we do, it's always... something unusual." Madarame explained calmly with a shrug. "He's commissioned me in the past to make art for his home." He rolled his eyes. "At least, where he hasn't already covered the walls in tacky American football memorabilia, that is. The last time we spoke was shortly after your accident when he was commissioning another piece for one of his office buildings. We managed to get on the topic of you because you were in the news. He seems highly intrigued by you, young man."  
  
Yusuke blinked. "I-- I'm sorry, I'm at a loss."  
  
"Don't you remember, Yusuke?" Madarame pressed dryly. "In the news in March-- this boy was all over the news. The ghost portal accident?"  
  
Yusuke's brows lifted, and he looked at Ren with a smile and excited, wide eyes. "Ah- _HA! _THAT must have been where I've seen you!" He turned to his teacher. "He has been vexing me because I swore I had seen him before, but that must explain it." He pushed past Ryuji and Haru to shake hands with Ren. "It's a pleasure to formally introduce myself, Amamiya-san. After I've completed my work with Takamaki-san, I'd like to have a word with you and hear some of your experiences..."  
  
"Forgive my nosiness," Madarame said with a soft smile, "I was just curious; how wonderful that my apprentice has the fortune to make your acquaintance. Make yourselves at home, but please, don't come down this hallway. I'm working on a new piece and would like things to remain quiet."  
  
As they nodded and continued on, Ren let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. They continued to follow Yusuke to his room, which was largely barren save for a single bookshelf, a few tables littered with art supplies and stained with various colors of paint, a futon shoved near the corner beneath a window, and a canvas in the middle of the room with a stool before it. Several other stools were swiftly brushed off and had the art supplies that were upon them removed to allow the model and her guests to sit. As they all took their seats, with Ann seated before the canvas at Yusuke's instruction, the boy almost took a seat upon his phone that he had left on the artist's stool.  
  
"You're about to sit on your phone." Ryuji warned, prompting Yusuke to swipe the phone from the stool and sigh.  
  
"Thank you."   
  
There was a pause as Yusuke stared at the screen for a few moments. The others shared a look while Yusuke stared until he snapped himself out of his reverie, shook his head, and looked up. "My apologies. I've been fixated on that video of Joker in the news this morning."  
  
Ren shrank back immediately between Haru and Ryuji as the three non-halfas shared a look. Ann laughed nervously. "You have, huh...?"  
  
Yusuke nodded and sighed longingly. "It was a beautiful display of art... the desire to move and dance freely, only to be confined by the gaze of humanity and social expectations... whether Joker realizes it or not, that was nothing short of performance art, and I would give anything to have Joker float before me and be a model. He's positively ethereal-- he and Mona."  
  
"Haha, yeah..." Ryuji cleared his throat. "So, uh, you going start painting Ann?"  
  
"Please do not rush me." the boy scolded. He took what he thought was one last look at his phone screen before pocketing it and looking up-- only to stop short as Ren fell under his gaze again, even with him shyly tucked between his friends. A silence fell as Yusuke's eyes narrowed and he held his arms out to frame Ren's rapidly whitening face. Ryuji scowled and leaned in front of him, blocking Yusuke as the boy let out a disgruntled huff and put his hands down.  
  
"Stop gawkin' at 'im. He gets enough of that at school."  
  
"Understandably." Yusuke said dryly as he craned his neck around Ryuji. "Amamiya-san, has anyone ever told you that you bear a _striking_ resemblance to Joker? The resemblance is positively uncanny."  
  
Ren laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, I get that a lot."  
  
Yusuke stared at him for what felt like an eternity. The sound of a pin dropping could have been heard as everyone else froze in place. Ryuji's eyes narrowed at him, Haru was biting her lip, and Ann was stiff as she worriedly looked at Ren. She looked on the verge of speech when Yusuke finally spoke.  
  
"What a coincidence." he finally said, and a collective sigh of relief was subtly breathed as he turned his attention back to his canvas. "Now, then, let's get started."


	19. Sayuri

An hour passed, and Yusuke seemed no closer to being done. Attempts to address him were unheeded as he absorbed himself in his painting.  
  
"I'm bored..." Morgana finally whispered from Ren's bag. Ryuji glared at him.  
  
"Pipe down!" he hissed. Morgana ignored him and looked up at Ren.   
  
"Is it alright if I go look around? Can I take your phone with me in case I see anything of interest I may want to take a picture of?"  
  
Ren shrugged. "Don't get caught."  
  
"Relax. Of the two of us, I'm the one who has invisibility down, after all."  
  
Ryuji snorted and Haru covered her mouth as Ren's nose wrinkled. He nodded, and Morgana picked up the phone with his mouth very carefully and quietly hopped out of Ren's lap. He approached the door, and with a backwards glance to ensure Yusuke wasn't looking, he silently phased through the door and into the darkened hallway. After another look around to ensure his solitude, Morgana transformed and stood upright. He held the phone in his paws and floated upward, turning invisible as he went forward. He remembered Madarame's request to stay out of his corridor of the hallway, and the cat nodded to himself. _Madarame said he didn't want us down there... maybe he's hiding something that could provide information about those rumors?_  
  
He flew through the wall and up to a colorfully painted door with golden orbs that appeared like the ends of peacock feathers. A very heavy, golden lock hung on the door. "It's weird how flashy this door is..." he muttered to himself. "And is that... a lock? A door with a hefty lock... what could be in there?"  
  
The cat stared curiously for a moment before turning the camera on Ren's phone on and snapped a quick picture, though he grimaced at the photo quality in the dim lighting. With a muffled sigh, he finally phased through the door... and stopped short at what he saw.  
  
A copy of a painting of a woman staring down with a mysterious expression at mist sat not far from another canvas where Madarame was painting a perfect copy of the piece. To his right along the wall was shelves full of similar copies, and immediately, Morgana's eyes widened as it dawned upon him what was occurring in that room. He fumbled for the phone and began snapping picture picture after picture of the room and of Madarame working until the man's phone buzzed. He paused and set down his paintbrush as he reached for his phone from a pocket, scowling irritably. His expression remained irritated as he sighed and set down his palette as well before answering the phone just as Morgana began recording the conversation using a shaky video on the phone.  
  
"Madarame speaking. Now isn't a good time, so I'd like to ask you to--" He paused and winced. "I'm working on another piece!" Another pause, and he scoffed. "Ugh, I _know _I only have one apprentice left... for however longer I'll have him. I need to ensure I have a steady stream of revenue after I retire when he finally burns out like all the others have." He scoffed and put a hand on his hip. "Anyways, that's beside the point. What do you want?"   
  
There was a longer pause before Madarame flinched and scowled. "What on Earth do you need that much money for?! It--_ yes,_ it's my business! I've been donating to your campaign since its inception, and if you're going to have the audacity to ask for more money, I--" He paused as the other voice continued, and he paled. "You wouldn't _dare..."_ Another pause, and finally, Madarame grumbled and shook his head. "Fine, fine! You'll get the money. Just hold up your end of the bargain. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to work in peace and quiet. My apprentice has some stupid brats over with him, and I don't want them to hear anything." Another pause, then Madarame scoffed. "Of course I'm keeping my voice down! I'm not an idiot, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. He has some blonde girl he's painting for a new piece and her friends were giving me funny looks. Especially one of them-- that boy who survived that portal accident, if you can believe it. I'm hoping at the very least that Yusuke can squeeze some sort of inspiration for a painting from him, too, but--"  
  
Madarame paused as whoever was speaking to him continued. Morgana floated up and around Madarame to see the man's face had twisted to a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. Finally, the man spoke. "Why are you asking me to get rid of him? My apprentice might be able to squeeze a painting out of him, plus he's just a kid. Unless he can pick locks or walk through walls, I don't think he's a--" Madarame rolled his eyes as the voice continued. "Fine. Fine, mysterious as always, but fine. I'll tell my apprentice that the boy has lingering ectoplasm in his system that's contagious or something and that I don't want him in my house. Yusuke will obey, as always." He laughed dryly. "I think even if he found out the truth about his mother and the Sayuri, he'd probably still obey me. At least for another few years before he burns out. It's sort of a pity, but business is business." He paused and nodded. "Mhm. Yes, the cash will be dropped off at the usual location. Mhm. Well, I have to get back to work. Goodbye."  
  
The man hung up the phone and nonchalantly got back to painting as Morgana continued to gawk at him, jaw loose. After a moment, he shook himself out of it, silently floated out and back into the hallway, and turned off the camera. He floated back towards Yusuke's room and transformed again in the hallway before silently poking his head through, still invisible, to ensure Yusuke was still painting. As he was halfway through the door, he froze as he heard Yusuke groan with exhaustion. The artist hunched over and hung his head as Ryuji sat up and smiled. "Are you done?" he questioned. Yusuke shook his head and picked his head back up with a wince.   
  
"It's no good..."  
  
Ryuji's eyes widened, and he rose to his feet. "What?!"  
  
Morgana used the opportunity to complete the move back inside while Yusuke was preoccupied and turned visible. He sat by the door and watched as Ann sat up and frowned. "I'm sorry... am I the problem?"  
  
He quickly shook his head. "No, not at all. The problem is me." The boy sighed and sat up. "I'm sorry. Can we try this again another time?"  
  
"Aw,_ hell_, no!" Ryuji snapped, rising to his feet. "You're not gonna make us wait this long for nothing!"  
  
"Ryuji, sit down!" Ren snapped. Ryuji huffed.  
  
"We came 'cause we heard rumors that Madarame was abusin' his apprentices and plagiarizing his art and wanted to know--"  
  
_"Ryuji!" _Haru cut in sharply, but the damage was done. Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he rose from his stool and glared down at the group.   
  
"How _dare_ you?" he spat. "That man is responsible for my care and well-being, and I will not hear of these--" He threw his hands down. "These_ ridiculous _accusations against him!"  
  
Ann cringed back. "C- Calm down, Kitagawa-kun!"  
  
"Calm down?" The boy laughed brokenly. "How can you expect me to--"  
  
"Everyone!" Ren snapped, and the room fell silent-- even Yusuke, who stared at him in bewilderment. The boy took a breath, and took a step towards Yusuke. "I'm sorry for what they said. I'm going to level with you: that's partially why we came today. We were concerned about your well-being, but I was against confronting you. We were hoping what we saw and experienced would be enough, because we have no right to make you say anything about Madarame. That's all up to you. I'm an abuse survivor, myself, and so is Ryuji there. We were worried that you needed help like we did, once." He bowed his head. "You have every right to be upset with us for barging in like this." Ren stood up and sighed. "We have clearly offended you, and for that, we apologize. If you would like us to leave, we will."  
  
Yusuke stared at him with an inscrutable expression, torn between anger and despair. Finally, the boy closed his eyes, sighed heavily, and laughed, sounding like a broken record as he shook his head wearily. "I suppose I can... understand... the concern, though be it known those are nothing more than base rumors." He smiled. "Perhaps you might change your mind when you see the work by Sensei that inspired my passion for art." He pulled his phone out and displayed the screen. On it was the same painting of a woman Morgana had seen in multitudes earlier, and the cat's ears pinned back in shock. The teenagers' brows lifted at it.  
  
"Oh, it's lovely." Haru breathed. Ryuji nodded.  
  
"I don't know a lot about art stuff, but even I can tell it's impressive."  
  
"It's beautiful..." Ann agreed breathlessly. Ren turned his head away in silence and crossed his arms. Yusuke frowned.  
  
"Why are you looking away?"  
  
He sighed and shrugged, not opening his eyes. "I'm sorry, but... it makes my heart ache, for some reason."  
  
Yusuke smiled softly. "I think I understand. While it normally inspires love and comfort in me, I occasionally feel that heartache, too. This is the Sayuri, Sensei's masterpiece-- until it was lost years ago." Morgana's tail twitched, and the cat grumbled. "It's nevertheless what has inspired me for so long. Sensei has kept me safe for many years and funded my education and passion, so I eschew any ridiculous rumors against him." The boy put his phone back in his pocket and nodded. "I believe you when you say you are merely concerned for me, but do not worry. I am fine." The words sounded strained, but he cleared his throat. "In the future, Amamiya-kun, I would still like to paint you and speak with you. Perhaps with more practice, I might be able to conjure a painting of Takamaki-san as well."   
  
There was a pause as Yusuke looked at Ann and looked away, reddening slightly. Ann frowned. "Kitagawa-kun?"  
  
"Forgive my bluntness," he started with a wry look, "but there was something I was hoping to ask but was too shy to."  
  
"Go for it."  
  
The artist took a deep breath and beamed. "Would you... be willing to pose for a nude portrait?"  
  
The reaction in the room was visceral. Ann squealed and pulled back, Haru covered her mouth as her eyes widened, Ryuji immediately moved in front of Ann, holding his arms out to keep Yusuke away, Morgana yowled and dropped the phone--  
  
And Ren began to laugh uncontrollably as he covered his face. Yusuke looked toward the sound of the yowl and saw the cat. His brows lifted.  
  
"A... cat? With a phone?"  
  
"He-- he-- he's mine." Ren whispered. The boy wheezed and hunched over, still covering his face as he fought back laughter. Ann went bright red and began punching his arm, only making him laugh harder.

"Shuttup! YOU pose naked, not me!"  
  
"I'd be open to that, too." Yusuke said bluntly, prompting Ren to start choking on his own laughter. Ann persisted in punching his arm-- and for a split second, the boy's arm went intangible, causing Ann's fist to go through it and to his torso. The boy groaned and was pushed to the side. He began ruefully rubbing his ribs and looked up at Yusuke, who looked stunned. Immediately, Ren's laughter died off, and he cleared his throat. "Is... something wrong?"  
  
"It looked as though her fist went right through your arm..."  
  
"Trick of the light," Ann dismissed quickly with a wave of the hand, "my hand went behind his arm. Nothing weird happened."  
  
She tittered nervously as Yusuke stared at Ren for several moments in silence before he finally swallowed hard and nodded. "That must be the case. Pardon me, I'm quite tired and seeing things."   
  
Another subtle breath of relief was let out by the group as Yusuke cocked his head. "So is that a yes or a no to the nude modeling?"  
  
_"NO!" _Ann cried. Ren put a hand to his chin and thought on it for a moment, causing the others to grant him incredulous looks. Ann scowled. "Hey! You can't be considering this!"  
  
"It would be for the sake of art!" Yusuke protested. Ren shrugged.  
  
"I'll consider it."  
  
"No, he won't!" Ann snapped, slapping his arm again and inviting a mischievous smile onto her friend's face. She groaned, irritated. "We'll see you later, Kitagawa-kun. Stay safe."  
  
"Farewell."

* * *

  
An hour or so after the visitors had left, and Yusuke was still sitting in front of his canvas, staring blankly at what refused to become art. His mind remained too active from the events of the day-- the struggle to make art, the accusations, the odd cat with a cell phone, and the trick of the light.  
  
The failure to make a grand new piece was nothing new-- this had been a problem that had plagued Yusuke for weeks now. He had hoped Ann would provide relief, but no dice-- not yet. He doubted he'd get anything from Ren, either. The accusations of plagiarism frazzled him and only worsened his will to create art. For a moment, he wondered if he should have done better to explain, even to lie, just so they wouldn't suspect anything. He knew they doubted him with his angry refusal of the accusations of being abused. Sensei, however, would be angry if he told the truth.  
  
Part of him wanted to run. Part of him wanted to go find Amamiya and ask for help, but the thought of Madarame's reaction brought him back to reality.  
  
Yusuke took a deep, shuddering gasp, and shook his head. No use thinking about a fate that can't be changed, he thought to himself.   
  
His mind began to drift again as he held his brush but couldn't bring himself to paint. His mind jumped from topic to topic-- eventually landing on what he had seen right before the others leave.  
  
Takamaki's fist going straight through a transparent arm and against Amamiya's torso.   
  
He had been briefly stunned, but Takamaki had quickly explained it away as a trick of the light. Yusuke couldn't deny it was the most logical explanation; the evening sun was setting, and caused a glare through the window at the right angle. At the same time, the explanation didn't feel right to him, but he couldn't imagine what else it would be. Intangibility was something only a ghost could do, even with how similar Amamiya looked to Joker. With a shake of the head, his mind went onto its next topic-- why did the cat have Amamiya's phone? When did it get there? Had it been there the whole time, only for Yusuke to not notice his slinking about?   
  
The cat couldn't have left the room, he reasoned. He would have heard it. Perhaps the cat had been wandering the whole time in the room and he simply hadn't noticed in his intense focus on his work.  
  
He was jerked out of his thoughts when his door slid open. Yusuke rose to his feet at his sensei's entrance, eyes wide and at attention. "Sensei!"  
  
"Yusuke." Madarame smiled. "Did you have any success?"  
  
The boy deflated and looked away. "Ah... no. Not today..."  
  
There was a pause, and Yusuke winced as Madarame sighed with disappointment.  
  
"Yusuke, you're better than this," he scolded, his voice eerily calm, "you know your artistic abilities will atrophy if you don't keep making art."  
  
"I know, Sensei."  
  
"Do you? It would be a shame to see my greatest apprentice fail due to something as trivial as motivation. It would be an embarrassment more to me than to you, and we don't want that, do we?"  
  
"No, Sensei."  
  
"After all I've done for you-- I've given you everything you need, Yusuke. Shelter, food, water-- the basic necessities all artists need to thrive, plus a prestigious education. Nothing more. Wishing for more will only hamper your own artistic aspirations-- never forget that." He sighed sadly and shook his head. "I have such great hopes for you, Yusuke. Please don't let me down."  
  
"Never, Sensei."  
  
"Will you keep working, then?"  
  
Yusuke sighed and hunched over. "... Yes, Sensei."  
  
"Good. That's what I want to hear." He walked forward and patted the boy's head. "I know I might seem harsh, Yusuke, but I'm doing this all for your benefit. You are my star."  
  
"... Thank you, Sensei." He said the words, but for some reason, Yusuke felt like crying. Still, he bit it back as Madarame spoke again.  
  
"By the way, Yusuke... I have a request for you."  
  
Yusuke looked up quizzically. "Yes, Sensei?"  
  
Madarame sighed shamefully. "I'm terribly sorry to ask this, but I need you to stop inviting Amamiya-san over to the atelier." At Yusuke's baffled expression, he sighed. "I didn't want to say this in front of the poor boy, but he's not safe to have around. All portal accident victims carry trace amounts of ectoplasm in their bodies. These... trace amounts can attract ghosts, and victims are notoriously clumsy and could damage what little we have in here. It's very sad, but it's for your own good if you stop associating with him."  
  
Yusuke pursed his lips. "But... Sensei... what are the chances a ghost will be close enough to be attracted by him, if that is the case?"  
  
His teacher sighed forlornly and shook his head. "Ah, Yusuke... your heart is so soft. It's admirable, but it's not just for your safety-- it's for the neighbors. Any unnecessary risk isn't good; I would hope you would understand that." He crossed his arms. "So, are we clear? Will you stop having that boy here?"  
  
His apprentice was silent for a long moment before swallowing and nodding. "... Yes, Sensei..."  
  
"Good." Madarame scoffed. "I suppose no one would walk away from what he did with no adverse effects. It's something to consider." He nodded. "Now, come along. It's time to eat; I'm afraid I can only serve you rice today. I've found an empty stomach helps the motivation and inspiration for art."  
  
With a weary sigh, Yusuke nodded and stood up, following his teacher out of the room. On his way to the dining room, however, Yusuke's mind kept drawing back toward Madarame's comments, as well as the mystery incident of earlier.  
_  
I suppose no one would walk away from what he did with no adverse effects._  
  
The memory that Joker and Ren looked similar flashed through his mind, and Yusuke made a mental note to look into that after supper.

* * *

  
They had offered to come with him, but Ren had insisted he would face this alone.  
  
The boy stood outside Leblanc for he didn't know how long. The sky had just turned to night, and his heart palpitated as he stood in the dark and slowly mustered courage to go inside and face the music.   
  
"Ren, they're not going to be mad," Morgana reassured, "go inside and get this over with."  
  
With a shudder, Ren briskly walked inside, the bell over the door jingling. He immediately spied Sojiro behind the counter, talking to Wakaba, who was seated on a barstool. Futaba, as was her typical fashion, perched on a booth seat like a gargoyle, wrapping her arms around her legs and pulling them to her chest. All eyes landed on him as he entered, making him flinch. For a moment, he contemplated running back outside, but Sojiro cut him off. The man raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Are you alright?" He smiled wryly. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."  
  
Futaba, Wakaba, and Morgana all groaned out loud as Sojiro smirked. Ren's nose wrinkled and he shook his head. "Ah-- no. It's not that. It's..." He took a deep breath. "It's my grades. They came out."  
  
Both his adoptive parents shared a look. Wakaba let out a sigh. "Well... let's hear it. If you did poorly, we need to know so we get you what help you need."  
  
Ren took a breath. "I..." He gulped and looked away. "I'm sorry, but... I only got second in my class. I missed top of my class by a few points. Please don't be mad; I'll do better next time."  
  
A short silence fell before being broken by laughter. Ren looked up in shock as Wakaba and Sojiro burst into laughter, and for a moment, he feared they were laughing at him until Sojiro grinned. "You really had us going there for a minute, Kid. Great job!"  
  
"I think this calls for celebration." Wakaba agreed. Futaba raised a hand.   
  
"Ooh! OOH! Sushi?!"  
  
The boy's jaw dropped. "You're... not mad?"  
  
Sojiro scoffed. "Of course not! We're proud of you! Why in the world would we be mad at you?"  
  
Morgana pulled himself out of the bag. "His parents used to get mad at him if he was anything less than perfect. He was scared the whole way here."  
  
The couple's eyes hardened immediately, and Ren instinctively flinched at the sight. Sojiro scoffed. "Kid, your old parents are assholes. You could have gotten a lower score, and we would have been fine with it as long as it was passing and decent. This is fantastic!"  
  
"I told you!" Morgana cried, patting Ren's head with a paw as he turned to Futaba. "You said sushi?!"  
  
Wakaba giggled and turned to her husband. "I think he's earned it." She turned to Ren, who was on the verge of tears as he smiled softly. "How about it? Would you like to go get sushi?"  
  
The boy laughed brightly. "I'd love that."  
  
As they departed, Morgana decided he'd tell the others about what he found the following day. He had been too anxious on the train to speak about it, and the cat decided he wouldn't ruin the mood, at least for the time being.

* * *

  
**INABA BOY NARROWLY SURVIVES PORTAL ACCIDENT, PARENTS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT**  
_  
On March 9 at 6:24 pm in Inaba, Yamanashi prefecture, a city-wide power outage that would last until early the next morning resulted following an attempt to illegally test a portal to the Ghost Zone by local ectologists, Kohaku and Asaka Amamiya. In the process, their son, Ren Amamiya, and his pet cat were allegedly sent inside of the portal that was supposed to be off to retrieve a tool left inside and almost killed by the resulting blast. Neighbors alerted the police upon hearing a sound described as "a rocket blasting off" prior to the blackout from the normally quiet home and laboratory.   
  
It is reported that their son as well as his cat have been rescued by friendly ghosts and taken into the temporary custody of the Far Frozen, a friendly populace of ghosts, who report both to be intensive care but expected to survive. This would make the victim and his cat two of now four survivors in the world of ghost portal accidents. They have agreed to return custody to the Japanese authorities upon discharge, who in the meanwhile are beginning to pursue a variety of charges against who were the country's foremost ghost experts, who are expected to be stripped of their position, awards, and titles if convicted..._  
  
It was one of many, but the one Yusuke found first on his phone. After gawking for several moments at the picture the news article had of Ren and his cat, he swiped to his other open web page of a news article covering the more recent press conference with Joker, Mona, and Phantom-sama himself. Yusuke stared, hard, at the image of Joker in the group picture on the stage before a crowd of journalists before swiping back to the first news story, then to another covering the attempted suicide of a girl at Shujin Academy-- who was miraculously saved by the very coincidental presence of Joker and Mona.  
  
"Can it truly be...?" he whispered incredulously to himself. "Can a human be a ghost at the same time...?" As he repeatedly swiped between the pictures, his eyes remained wide, and finally, he let out a sharp breath and shook his head. "No. No, it _has_ to be... there's no other explanation." He gave a shuddering gasp. "My god..."  
  
A long silence fell as he continued to swipe between the two pictures. At some point, they almost seemed like the same picture but merely colored differently.  
  
"If this is true, then..." Yusuke's voice cracked. "What did that cat...?"  
  
He closed the browser on his phone, picked his head up, and stared vacantly into the darkness of his room for a long time. The only light present came from his phone and illuminated his face until the screen silently turned off, but he didn't even react to the loss of light.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, Yusuke swallowed hard and pushed his phone screen again, bringing the light back as he opened his messenger app and contacted Takamaki.  
_  
**Yusuke:** I need to speak with you and Amamiya-san as soon as possible. Somewhere private, where no one will hear us speaking. Do you know anywhere like that?_  
  
There was another pause that felt like an eternity until his phone pinged with Ann's response.  
_  
**Ann:** Is something wrong?_  
  
Yusuke bit his lip.  
_**  
Yusuke:** I'm not sure. I need to discuss the details with both of you. Please._  
  
Another long pause came.  
_  
**Ann: **There's a place we can talk... Ren's room. Will 5:30 pm tomorrow work for you?_  
  
Yusuke took a relieved breath.  
_  
**Yusuke:** Yes, that will work fine. Thank you. What is the address?  
  
**Ann:** It's in Yongen, in the attic of a cafe called Leblanc. I'll send you the proper address and directions in a minute.  
  
**Ann: **Can you please tell me what this is about?  
**  
Yusuke:** Not by text.  
  
**Yusuke: **Do you intend to bring your other friends with the two of you?  
  
**Ann: **Yes._  
  
Yusuke grumbled to himself bitterly.  
_  
**Yusuke: **I don't suppose you could be persuaded to have them stay behind? This is business that concerns Amamiya-kun... and it's something I presume you already know._  
  
Another long, long pause came. Ann didn't respond for almost half an hour before her next response came, while Yusuke continued to sit in his chair.  
_**  
Ann:** They know all that I know about him. They will be coming, too, but I'll ask them to stay on the lower floor of the cafe; please understand that Amamiya-kun has been through a lot and we're all very protective of him._  
  
The boy deflated a bit and sighed.  
_  
**Yusuke: **I understand... very well.   
  
**Yusuke:** Thank you for your time. I will see everyone tomorrow._


	20. Accusations

Just before going to bed, Ren had received the text that made his heart sink.  
  
_**Ann: **Yusuke wants to talk to Ren tomorrow somewhere private.   
**  
Ryuji: **What? Why?  
  
**Haru: **Did he say why?  
  
**Ann: **No. He just said it was a private, sensitive matter._  
  
Ren paled as he read the texts.  
**  
**_**Ren: **That doesn't sound good. _  
  
_**Ryuji:** Maybe he just wants to ask you to pose nude again?_  
  
_**Haru:** Ryuji!_  
  
_**Futaba:** AYYYY LMAO_  
  
_**Futaba:** I don't have a bug on his phone, so I don't have any information to share on my end yet._  
  
"Ren, um..." Morgana looked up at Ren, ears pinning back. "I meant to tell you this tomorrow, but... I found Madarame... well, maybe you should just look in your photo album."  
  
Brows lifting, Ren obeyed-- and his eyes widened as he saw pictures of the apparently lost Sayuri in great numbers along walls and shelves, with Madarame painting another at his easel. As he scrolled through them, different shots confirmed the act. As he reached the video shot by Morgana, he turned it on and listened. His face was stone cold as it went on, and for the duration, Morgana couldn't tell what Ren was thinking.  
  
"Good work." Ren said finally, patting Morgana's head. "Hang on."  
  
He returned to the chat, fully intending to share what he found, only to see Futaba had beat him to it. He winced. _Right. Futaba can do that. She spies on my phone. Duh. How long has she known about this?_  
  
_**Ryuji: **holy SHIT  
  
**Ryuji: **WHAT AN ASSHOLE  
  
**Ann:** Oh my god...  
  
**Haru: **Oh...  
  
**Futaba:** Right?  
**  
Futaba:** Looks like Ren's back.  
  
**Ren:** How long have you known about that?  
  
**Futaba:** Since Mona shot all of that.  
  
**Futaba: **I already sent it all to Sae-san. She said she'll handle it and told me to tell you all to stay out of it. Apparently the cops tomorrow are gonna go talk to Kitagawa-kun at school.  
**  
Ren:** When were you planning on telling us you knew?  
  
**Futaba:** I was gonna when you got home, but then mom and dad were so excited about your grades that I didn't want to bring down the mood when we went out to eat.  
**  
Haru:** So what about Kitagawa-kun?   
  
**Ren:** I have a bad feeling he knows...  
  
**Ryuji: **What, about the shit Madarame's doing?  
**  
Ren: **No, not just that.  
  
**Ren: **About Morgana and I.  
  
**Ryuji:** Oh.  
  
**Ann: **What should I tell him? He's still waiting._  
  
Ren took a deep breath and shared a look with Morgana, who nodded. "We can't avoid this... if it's what we suspect, we need to know. Let's invite him to the attic tomorrow after lessons are over."  
  
"Good idea." the boy agreed.  
_  
**Ren: **Invite him to the attic of Leblanc at 5:30 pm tomorrow.  
  
**Ann: **On it.   
  
**Haru: **What if he does know?_  
  
Ren sighed.  
_  
**Ren:** Then we'll have to deal with it as it comes.  
  
_He tucked the phone in his pocket, laid back in his bed, and closed his eyes. Though falling asleep had been difficult with the anxiety on his mind, he eventually managed to drift off as Morgana purred at his side.   
  


* * *

  
When he found himself in a white expanse again, floating in nothingness, Ren couldn't help but let out an annoyed groan.  
  
"This again?"  
  
"What, don't you like me?" Desiree's mocking voice came. As he expected, she appeared before him with a mischievous smile. Ren shook his head.  
  
"I don't particularly enjoy being creeped on in my dreams. Just so you know."  
  
"Who said I was creeping on you?" she teased with a smirk. "I'm just saying hello, you know."  
  
Ren sighed and crossed his arms. "What do you want from me?"  
  
She shrugged. "I just came to see if you want any help with your predicament. Well, more specifically, that strange boy's predicament. You know, I could fix this whole scenario with a wave of the hand, if you'd just give the word..."  
  
He shook his head. "No. We need to handle this at a rate and manner that's best for Yusuke. I'm not going to force anything on him."  
  
"Don't be so stubborn," she scoffed, "while I can't understand why you bother to help a stranger, you could easily fix this with a wish_ and_ make Yusuke forget all about you. You know that he knows, don't you?"  
  
"Probably." Ren shrugged. "But I'm not going to panic. Not yet. Yusuke deserves a chance to speak tomorrow." The boy let out an aggravated sigh and shook his head at her. "He's gone through horrible abuse for more than a decade. This is a sensitive matter that you can't truly fix instantly. He needs time to heal, and I think he deserves a chance, even if he does know about me."  
  
Desiree's face suddenly soured. Her eyes hardened, and her lips pursed. "What would you know about abuse?" she snapped.  
  
Ren stared at her for a long time in silence. She matched his stare as his face went stony.  
  
Finally, he sighed. "You want to know what I know about abuse, and you want to grant wishes, huh? I've got one for you, if it's alright with you."  
  
"Speak."  
  
"I wish you knew all the abuse I had to survive through."  
  
The genie scoffed and snapped her fingers. "Easy. So you have wished it, and so it shall be--" She stopped short. Her face fell, as did her hands. Tears welled in her eyes without her control, and after a moment, she wiped them away and shuddered. _"Oh."_  
  
"Yeah, _'oh.'"_ Ren huffed. "No wishes can ever fix all of that. Not really. Only time and support, if it ever will truly heal. The same is true for Yusuke. He needs to decide how he wants to handle this. It's not my decision to make, though I'll be there to help him, if he wants my help."  
  
Desiree gawked at him, then inhaled sharply before she spoke incredulously. "Aren't you afraid he's going to use you? Aren't you afraid they're all going to just use you and throw you off to the side?"  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
"Then_ why_ do you want to help them?"  
  
He looked at her and made eye contact as he crossed his arms. "Because while I'm afraid, I know it's unlikely that they will. Why would they have done all they've done for me at this point otherwise? Wouldn't they have outed me by now if they wanted to?" He shrugged. "Trust can lead to hurt, yes, but sometimes you have to risk it." He sighed heavily. "Sometimes... that's life, but I do not believe they're going to betray me. If I walk out of it with at least one friend through thick and thin... then it'll be worth it." He smiled. "And I have faith in my friends."  
  
Desiree continued to stare at him in utter silence for several moments before heaving a sigh of her own. "I hope you know what you're doing, young man," she warned, "betrayal hurts, and sometimes, it can come from those you think you know the most... but you would know about that, wouldn't you?"  
  
"And you would know, too, I'm guessing."  
  
She scoffed. "You could always just _wish_ for it..."  
  
He shook his head. "No. That's _your _hurt and_ your _business alone. I would never force you to share that with me." He paused and cleared his throat. "With that aside, _why _are you spying on me? You could just talk to me in person, you know... as in, in the real world. Provided you aren't _just _a dream, anyways."  
  
The ghost sighed and smiled. She tapped her chin. "Hmm... _am _I merely a dream? A figment of your imagination? Who knows?" She waved. "Good luck with Yusuke, little one. You'll need it."  
  
With that, she faded away into nothingness, and Ren's vision blackened as his mind took him back to dreamland.  
  


* * *

  
"I had the dream again," Ren said the next morning as Sojiro and Morgana turned to give him a funny look, "that genie ghost lady..."  
  
Morgana scoffed. "Don't you think I would have noticed, too? Why would she only bother you?"  
  
"Recurring drams happen, Kid," Sojiro agreed.  
  
Ren grumbled to himself. He hadn't expected much more, but it stung being dismissed. The boy settled for looking down at his breakfast and sipping from his cup of coffee bitterly. Wakaba sat a seat down, having her own breakfast before taking off for the day. She sighed. "I'll have a word with Fenton," she said with a shrug, "he'll look into it, so you can stop worrying about it."  
  
"No, it's okay," Ren huffed, not looking up, "if no one believes me to begin with, it's not worth causing a fuss. Plus, we already have a headache to deal with later today."  
  
Wakaba and Sojiro shared a look. They had been briefed by Futaba, and reacted. Sojiro had been extremely concerned, only to be tempered by a much calmer Wakaba, who said they'd handle it effectively. It hadn't stopped the barista from grumbling about it now and again as he made breakfast, but everyone agreed they'd just have to wait and see what came next.  
  
"It's not that we don't believe you," Morgana piped up from his spot on the ground, pulling away from his food bowl, "it's just that it's probably just a dream. It's completely understandable that you're worried about it, though."  
  
Sojiro nodded. "You're probably just stressed, Ren. We'll look into therapy for you or something if it keeps up."  
  
"... Back to our report on Danny Phantom's apprentices."  
  
Both Ren and Morgana jolted and looked up at the TV, where a news anchor was speaking. A video of Ren's antics the previous morning came onscreen, and immediately, Ren reddened and looked away.   
  
"Phantom has confirmed that Joker's appearance in the skies over Tokyo was accidental. He has announced that his apprentices were on their way to him for lessons when one of his apprentices failed to turn invisible properly upon getting distracted. His actions unintentionally caused a traffic jam as drivers stopped to film the activities. The police have issued a statement, saying no charges will be pressed, but they have asked Joker to refrain from doing aerial stunts over the city streets out of concern of causing another traffic jam. Meanwhile, videos of the action have gone viral. The public response has been overwhelmingly positive, but some members of the Diet-- namely Masayoshi Shido, who is running for prime minister in the upcoming election, have voiced concerns over the act."  
  
The camera cut to a video of a bald man with a short beard and glasses, clean cut and with a look in his eyes that Ren found unsettling and cruel. The man was frowning. "Regardless of the intent of the boy, he nevertheless caused a scene and a major traffic incident." he said firmly. "I, by no means, wish to disrespect Phantom-sama; at present, I don't doubt his apprentices have good intentions. However, it is clear that a tighter leash is needed on them if they cannot control themselves. If they wish to be residents of Tokyo, of Japan, we cannot coddle them; we cannot forget that they are still ghosts and have power that can be dangerous. We need no further trouble from--"  
  
Sojiro turned off the TV. Ren by this point was burying his head in his arms against the bar. His ears burned red.  
  
"Kill me." he groaned. Wakaba sighed and patted his back.  
  
"Now, now... you'll just do better in the future. That's all."  
  
"I think the embarrassment is punishment enough, anyways." Sojiro said dryly. "Also, it's not like you _told_ the drivers to stop and film you like a bunch of idiots." He grumbled. "Anyways, you two need to run along. Don't be late." As Ren sat up, the man put his hands on his hips. "Oh, and Fenton told me that you're to take the train until further notice. He'll give you permission to fly again when he feels you're up to it."  
  
Ren sighed deeply, still beet red. "Yes, Sakura-san..."

* * *

  
Yusuke's mind had been constantly diverted to the confrontation that would transpire in the evening on the way to school. Madarame hadn't seemed to notice his consternation, thankfully, freeing him up to imagine all possible scenarios that could happen. He barely even noticed himself getting ready for school or riding the train, and only snapped out of it when his homeroom teacher stopped him at the door.  
  
"Kitagawa-kun," she had said with a look of concern and pity, "can you please go to the student council office?"  
  
He frowned. "If you don't mind my asking, why?"  
  
"I'm not supposed to tell you. Not here, but be reassured that you're not in trouble. Come back to my classroom when you're done."  
  
The boy sighed and nodded. "Yes, Sensei."   
  
With that, he headed towards the office he had been directed to, where he could see two officers waiting inside. One was standing, arms crossed, and the other was sitting with some papers on the table in front of him. With an intake of breath, Yusuke knocked on the door. The standing officer approached quickly and opened the door. He had a neutral expression on his face, one Yusuke found to be hard to read.  
  
"Yusuke Kitagawa?" the man asked. Yusuke nodded, and the man stood to the side, allowing the boy to walk into the room. "Please, come in and be seated."  
  
Yusuke silently obeyed and took the seat opposite of the sitting officer, who smiled reassuringly at him. "Good morning, Kitagawa-kun. Sorry to pull you from class like this. You're not in trouble by any means, but we'd like to ask you a few questions."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"We'll get right into that." The officer cleared his throat. "I want you to be reassured this will all be completely anonymous. No one except for us will know how you respond to these questions, not even your guardian. Especially not your guardian."  
  
Yusuke frowned. _This must be about Madarame-sensei... they must have reported him to the police. I was hoping I convinced them to drop it...   
  
_"Alright, let's get through this so you can get back to class." the officer started. He proceeded to ask him a gauntlet of questions that he knew were asked to probe him on Madarame's abuses-- which he denied and answered evasively as needed. He also knew when the officers shared eye contact every now and again, particularly when he responded too quickly or too evasively, that they didn't believe his claims that everything was alright.  
  
"You're awfully skinny," the officer observed, "are you getting enough to eat?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What did you eat last night?"  
  
Yusuke stared at him. "Rice." he said plainly.  
  
"Just rice?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Nothing else?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why was that all you had?"  
  
"I had an upset stomach." he lied. "I didn't want to eat anything too heavy."  
  
Again they shared an uncertain look. Yusuke hated it as much as he hated how easily the lie had rolled off his tongue-- too easily and too quickly.  
  
"Okay," the officer finally said with a subtle intake of breath, "just a few more questions and we'll turn you loose. Have you observed any sort of plagiarism or use of your or another student's art without permission by your guardian?"  
  
He wanted to say no, but for some reason, the word caught in his throat for a good few seconds before he shook his head. "No." he lied plainly.   
  
"You can tell us the truth, you know. We won't tell--"  
  
"Can we please continue?"  
  
Another pause, and a sigh.  
  
"Alright. Last question-- have you noticed any evidence of forgery or related activities in your household?"  
  
Yusuke jolted, and his eyes widened. "Forgery?" he questioned, blinking in confusion. They nodded.  
  
"Yes. Say, of art--"  
  
"I know what art forgery is," he said bluntly, "I'm just surprised to hear such an allegation. I've heard all the other rumors levied against my Sensei, but not forgery. Where did you hear about that?"  
  
The officer shook his head. "Sorry, but we can't tell you." He looked down at his papers again, where he had been writing down Yusuke's responses, and looked back up. "Anyways, that should do it for our questions. If you hear or notice anything suspicious or experience any form of abuse, verbal or physical, don't hesitate to head to the local police department. If you give them your name, we'll come to help you and protect you."  
  
Yusuke scoffed subtly. _No one can protect me now._  
  
"Anyways, thank you for your time. You can head back to class now."  
  
The artist found himself being escorted out of the room by the standing officer, who closed the door behind him unceremoniously. Yusuke was left standing in place, staring ahead of himself at the wall for a moment as his head swam.  
_  
Forgery? What did they find in the atelier? _  
  


* * *

  
Ren felt his heart palpitating and his core pulsing anxiously as he paced upstairs in the attic.   
  
Morgana perched on the bed and watched him in silence-- any words of comfort had failed thus far. The cat would be lying if he didn't feel the same sort of anxiety, too, but he hid it as he worriedly stared at Ren. Downstairs, Ryuji, Ann, Futaba, and Haru all sat around a table waiting in silence. Futaba tapped at her open laptop on the table while Sojiro found himself impulsively rubbing an already-clean mug with a cloth. Wakaba was calm and sipping from a cup of coffee as she sat next to Sae, whose gaze was practically burning a hole through the bar. A few plainclothes officers hung around another booth, drinking coffee and chatting idly.  
  
At 5:30 pm on the dot, the bell over the door jingled as Yusuke Kitagawa stepped inside the cafe. All eyes flew to him as he walked in, though seemingly obliviously, he looked around at the cafe and smiled. "Oh... it's nice in here. Very retro." he observed. Ann cleared her throat, drawing his attention. The boy suddenly sobered and steeled his face as the girl stood up and approached him.  
  
"Hey." she greeted. He nodded.  
  
"Hello, Takamaki-san."  
  
There was a moment of hesitation.  
  
"You're sure they can't come up with us?" Ann questioned. Yusuke looked at them again and shook his head.  
  
"I'd rather they didn't."  
  
With a moment of hesitation, and a sigh, Ann nodded him along. Yusuke followed her, eyes trained ahead-- he scarcely even noticed anyone else in the cafe in his zeal. She led him up the stairs and to Ren's attic room. Ren stopped pacing as he saw the two come up the stairs, and Morgana hopped off the bed and ran up to stand by Ren's side, weaving between his ankles.  
  
"Kitagawa-kun." Ren greeted, steeling his tone of voice. "I heard you wanted to see me?"  
  
"Yes." the artist replied as he approached him.  
  
"He's here." Ann said dryly.   
  
As Yusuke stopped in front of him, he made eye contact with Ren. He didn't hesitate as the words came out of his mouth.  
  
"You're Joker, and he's Mona."  
  
It was a statement, not a question. His eyes were hard, determined, and accusatory. Ren put on a poker-face, Ann flinched and moved in front of the two halfas on instinct, and Morgana arched his back defensively. A silence fell before Ren pushed his glasses up his nose and responded coldly.  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." he dismissed. Yusuke scoffed.  
  
"Do not lie to me. There is ample physical proof. You and Morgana were in the same accident-- Joker is accompanied by a ghost cat by the name of Mona. Morgana was carrying your phone with great care and purpose." He shook his head. "Most of all, do you think the eyes of an artist deceive me? Apart from color differences, all your features match perfectly. Every single facial feature is identical, down to the eyes, nose, mouth, and overall head shape, not even mentioning the hair texture and style, if not color."  
  
"That means nothing." Ann spat. "It's just a coincidence, Kitagawa-kun."  
  
Yusuke scoffed again. "Really? A coincidence? Explain this, then. How is it that Joker and Mona look so similar to them-- where they just happened to appear at the very moment a girl at your school was about to commit suicide? Phantom-sama may have passed it off as a coincidence in the news, but with the details coming to light, are you going to call that a coincidence, too?" He shook his head. "Your face, your body shape, your voice, your partner, your accident... the timing and location of the heroes that saved the girl from Shujin Academy._ Your _school." He shook his head. "I'm not a fool. You may be able to fool most people who don't have the perspective of an artist, but appearances are everything, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"How can a human be a ghost at the same time?" Ann snapped defensively. Yusuke shrugged.  
  
"That I don't yet know, but I intend to find out."  
  
"Why are you accusing me of this now, Kitagawa-kun?" Ren cut in bluntly. Yusuke's hardened expression softened, and he sighed heavily.  
  
"Do not mistake my intentions-- I have no intention of doing you harm or exposing you. No, I come with a plea." He looked down at Morgana, who flinched. "You were snooping around the atelier, weren't you? I need you to tell me what you found. I had a police officer today talk to me at school asking about plagiarism, abuse... and counterfeiting the Sayuri." His voice cracked. "I have to-- I_ have_ to know what you found." He fell to his knees before the cat, whose ears pricked upward and took a step back as Yusuke literally sunk to his level. _"Please."_  
  
The tone of desperation was strong. All of them stared at him apprehensively, but no one got a word out before Sae's voice came.  
  
"That's enough."  
  
The prosecutor had come up the stairway and stared accusingly at Yusuke, who rose to his feet and stared with wide eyes. "Ah! Who are--"  
  
"I'll be asking the questions here." Sae snapped. "Come with me. Now."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Niijima-san," Ren piped up, "before you haul him off, can I have a word with you?"  
  
Niijima scowled. "Do we have time for this, Amamiya?"  
  
"Please."  
  
Sae looked between him and Yusuke before scoffing and nodding. "Fine. Let's take this downstairs." She looked downstairs and whistled, and quickly, the plainclothes officers hurried upstairs and stood at attention. She nodded towards Yusuke. "Make sure he doesn't go anywhere. I need to speak with Amamiya-kun downstairs. Takamaki-san, Morgana, come with me."  
  
Yusuke stared as they left and waited, bewildered, as he was flanked by the agents of the bureau.


	21. Shut Up and Run

"He knows. He totally knows. There's no convincing him otherwise."   
  
"That doesn't mean we openly admit it!"  
  
Futaba huffed impatiently as Sae stood, arms crossed. Ryuji scowled and nodded. "Can we really trust him?"  
  
"Do we have a choice?" Haru murmured. Ren held his hands up.  
  
"Everyone, just-- calm down."  
  
"Calm down? _CALM DOWN?"_ Sae snapped. "How many people is it now that have discerned your identity?"  
  
"In his defense, this one wasn't really his fault." Sojiro piped up, scratching the back of his neck. "This was just dumb luck, encountering an artist..."  
  
"If I may?" Ren cut back in. Sae huffed and grumbled.  
  
"Fine. Continue."  
  
"Thank you." Ren shrugged. "So. He knows. That's something that can't be disputed. However, I think by scaring him and traumatizing him further, we're actually doing the case a disservice."  
  
"Get to the point." Morgana interjected. Ren rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'm getting there. I believe Yusuke's intentions are sincere-- he's beginning to realize his guardian has used and abused him, for over a decade. He managed to keep that secret a secret for a long time." He shrugged. "You need witnesses and testimonies to strengthen your case. What do you think Yusuke would do if we showed him the evidence he's seeking?"  
  
"He could expose you!"  
  
"He could provide the key testimony needed to empower the others to speak against him and provide damning proof of Madarame's long-term abuse and crimes." A silence fell over the room. Looks were shared as Ren stared at Sae, who pursed her lips and looked away. He grunted. "You want to win, don't you? Madarame needs to face the full extent of justice for his crimes. This could convince Yusuke to come to our side and spill the beans. It's an opportunity for you to win another case on a silver platter."  
  
"And what happens after that?" Sae snapped. "You, what-- let him join your little group?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
The teens murmured among themselves as Sae and Sojiro shared an apprehensive look until finally, Sae exhaled sharply and frowned at him.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing. I'm going to have him taken to the bureau for a long talk... and we'll see what happens from there." She turned to Sojiro. "Regardless, Kitagawa can't go back to the atelier. If he is truly to be an ally as your ward predicts, he'll need somewhere safe to stay temporarily until the conclusion of the case."  
  
Sojiro grunted and turned to Ren. "Hope you like having another roommate, kid."  
  
Ren smiled wryly. "I can handle one more. I already had to get used to one that sleeps in bed with me as it is."  
  


* * *

  
It was late in the evening when Yusuke finally returned to Leblanc.  
  
Sojiro had called Ren downstairs to help move a futon upstairs along with some of Yusuke's belongings. Yusuke had remained silent, for the most part, and Ren couldn't figure out what he was thinking as he looked at his face. The boy's eyes were downcast and his lips a thin line as he seemed deep in thought. He was polite, of course, and occasionally broke the silence to say please or thank you as was appropriate. Sojiro went to the kitchen to whip up a plate of curry for him while they moved furniture, and when the food was served, Yusuke stared at the plate with wide eyes.  
  
"I-- I don't know if I can afford this. How much--"  
  
Sojiro raised an eyebrow at him. "We're not charging you. Why would we do that?"  
  
The boy, for the first time that day, cracked a smile. "T- Thank you."  
  
Finally, he finished his supper and offered to help Sojiro with the dishes, but was brushed off and told to go upstairs. Wakaba followed him, and the two saw that the couch had been moved across the room, opposite the TV, and a cozy futon had been laid on the ground in its place. Two large boxes full of Yusuke's clothes and belongings sat adjacent to the foot of the bed, and the artist's jaw dropped.  
  
"Sorry to move all your things like this, and sorry you have to share the space with me," Ren said with a shrug, "Phantom-sensei grabbed all of your stuff and hastily threw them in the boxes while Madarame was out of the house."  
  
Phantom materialized, floating in the air beside Ren as Yusuke jerked back at the apparition. He smiled and waved.   
  
"See you later," he bid, "I'm heading home."  
  
With that, he vanished, and Yusuke remained stunned as he stood and stared at the space in which Phantom had been floating. Wakaba cleared her throat. "Madarame has been told you left while he was out, and that you simply burned out under his thumb." she said, though Yusuke didn't look back at her. He just kept staring blankly ahead. "You won't have to contact him further. My daughter has already blocked his number on your phone, and you can stay with us as long as you want."  
  
Yusuke didn't react immediately. After a few moments, the boy sighed and turned to Wakaba, a painfully forced smile on his face. "Thank you, Sakura-san. I... appreciate all you have done for me."  
  
"Don't mention it." She frowned. "Do you... need anything? Or want to talk?"  
  
After a moment of hesitation, the boy shook his head. "N- No. Not right now. But thank you."  
  
"... Alright." she said reluctantly. She turned her eyes to Ren and Morgana. "Please, let me know if any of you need anything, at any hour. I know this is a sensitive time."  
  
"Will do," Morgana piped up, "thank you."  
  
The woman left. Ren remained silent, unsure of how to speak to the boy, whose eyes immediately darkened as his guardian left. He looked on the verge of tears, and he shook ever so slightly as he slowly made his way to his futon. He stood, staring down at it as Ren finally worked up the courage to approach him.  
  
"Um, Kitagawa-kun...?"  
  
The boy's back began to shake. Tears slipped from Yusuke's eyes, and he grit his teeth as he sniffled. Though unsure of himself, Ren carefully advanced and tried to hug Yusuke. He flinched as Yusuke returned the hug and began to sob into Ren's shoulder. Morgana curled himself around Yusuke's ankles and purred loudly while Ren exhaled softly and squeezed Yusuke as he allowed the boy to cry as long as he needed to.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, Yusuke pulled away and rubbed at his eyes ruefully. "I... am sorry." he breathed, throat raw. Ren shook his head.  
  
"Don't be. You have every right to be upset. I'm just happy I was here to help you."  
  
The boy sniffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I... thank you." He swallowed hard. "Madarame..." He shuddered. "They... they showed me everything. Let me hear everything. I didn't..." He shook his head. "I didn't want to believe it was true, but... it's true, isn't it? The man who raised me is nothing more than a monster wearing the skin of an artist." His voice cracked. "He never cared for me at all. I was just... a source of revenue." Yusuke let out a broken laugh. "This isn't funny at all..."  
  
Morgana shook his head. "No. It isn't." he agreed. He sighed as Yusuke looked down at him. "Sorry we had to do this to you, Yusuke."  
  
The boy stared at him in silence for a moment before shaking his head. "No, no... you all did the right thing." He scowled. "I can't believe he'd... he'd profane the Sayuri like that...! All in the name of money!"  
  
"I know, it's sick." Morgana agreed.  
  
"It is." Yusuke affirmed, as he looked between the cat and Ren. An expression Ren couldn't decipher came onto the boy's face as he peered between the two. He cleared his throat. "I suppose I'm not the only one here who was betrayed by who raised him," he said, finally locking his gaze onto Ren with a pitying frown, "Ren. I heard about what your parents did to you. I'm sorry."  
  
Ren waved a hand and scratched the back of his neck. "It's... in the past."  
  
"Is it, though? Do emotional scars ever remain in the past?" He cleared his throat. "So... that aside, now I understand. Now I know."  
  
"About us?" Morgana questioned softly. The artist nodded.  
  
"Half ghost." he finally said, calmly gazing at Ren and Morgana as they looked over. "You're half ghosts."  
  
"That's right." the cat confirmed. There was a moment of silence.  
  
"May I see?" the artist requested. "Please?"  
  
Ren and Morgana shared a look. The cat moved first and took several steps back. With a flash of blue fire, Mona was standing and smiling proudly. After a moment, Yusuke cracked a smile and turned to Ren. The boy swallowed hard and nodded. He took a few steps back and met Yusuke's expectant gaze, and with another sigh, he transformed. Joker reached a gloved hand up to pluck the mask off his face, and stared in silence at Yusuke.   
  
"Beautiful," Yusuke said breathlessly, framing Morgana and Ren with his fingers, "absolutely_ beautiful."_  
  
Ren blinked. "Eh?"  
  
Yusuke picked up Morgana and ignored his irritated meowing as he inspected every angle of his head. "Stunning." he praised, and set the cat down as he turned his attention to Ren. The half ghost just blinked, bewildered, as Yusuke poked around him, inspecting every angle. "Ethereal. Radiant. Amazing... you both defy words. You're positively gorgeous."  
  
The boy reddened, and Morgana beamed. "O- Oh..." Ren shrugged and twirled a lock of hair in his fingers as he averted his gaze. "Thank you?"  
  
"I should be thanking_ you _for existing." He laughed brightly. "I am utterly envious."  
  
Ren scoffed. "Would you like to be a halfa? I'll trade you."  
  
The other boy scoffed. "As if I would rob you of such a wonderful gift, though yes, I'd like to be a half ghost, too."  
  
"No, you really wouldn't."  
  
"Did I stutter?" Yusuke crossed his arms. "I don't suppose there's a portal that needs to be turned on?"  
  
Morgana laughed. "Well, there's a big one set to open in July, but I wouldn't count on them allowing you to fry yourself in it."  
  
The artist let out a disappointed sigh. "No, I suppose they wouldn't, would they?"  
  
Ren shook his head. "This hasn't been all sunshine and daisies, Yusuke."  
  
"I know, but I would think it would be very much worth it." The boy scowled. "This is about your parents, yes? They are imbeciles. Fools who couldn't recognize glory when they saw it, especially when it was their fault to begin with."   
  
Morgana cleared his throat, and Ren looked down at him as the cat swished his tail. "Think of it this way. You may have lost a lot, but you've gained a lot, too. Gained much better people and things. Yusuke is going through that right now, too, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Yusuke nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am..." His eyes widened, and he winced. "Oh... I think I understand now. Everything that transpired today did hurt. Deeply. But I believe that this will lead to better things in the near future. I already am surrounded by people who care for me more than anyone else ever has." He smiled softly at them. "I'm honored to be sharing space with the two of you. I hope we become the best of friends and allies."  
  
Ren grinned. "I'd like that, too."  
  
The artist stuck his hand out. Morgana floated up to take it, prompting Yusuke to hold out his other hand. Both shook hands with him, and the boys shared a fond look.   
  
"Let's go to bed now," the cat said with a yawn, "we've had such a busy day..."

* * *

  
It was 2 am, and Yusuke was wide awake.  
  
He stared up at the ceiling as best as he could in the darkness. Soft breathing came from the direction of Ren's bed and quietly filled the room as Yusuke remained deep in thought that prevented him from falling back asleep.  
  
The pictures of the room of forgery haunted him. The sound of his former sensei's voice mocking and discussing his crimes.  
  
The mystery of his mother.  
  
Yusuke hadn't said so, but that part of the video bothered him the most. _What is the truth of the Sayuri and my mother?_ It plagued his mind, but he couldn't think of a thing that Madarame could be referring to. He had no doubt it was some horrible secret that would churn his stomach and break his heart even more than it had already been broken, but he so desperately wanted to know nevertheless.  
  
He continued to lay in bed for a long time, his mind chained and weighed down by the thoughts that wouldn't leave him. Eventually, the urge to go to the bathroom came, and he cautiously extracted himself from his futon and tip-toed to the restroom downstairs. When he came back upstairs, Ren was awake and yawning. He blinked blearily at his approach. Yusuke grimaced. "I'm sorry, did I wake you? My apologies."  
  
"No, it's fine." Ren yawned and shrugged. "Something on your mind?"  
  
Yusuke laughed dryly. "Everything. I can't sleep." He huffed. "I wish I could see the inside of that room that you were in, Morgana, just to lay my own eyes on the Sayuri and make it feel real to myself that this is all happening."  
  
The cat yawned and stood up, stretching front to back. "Well," he started, yawning intermittently, "why don't we go over there now and have a look?"  
  
Ren blinked. "What, like-- right now, right now?"  
  
Morgana rolled his eyes. "No, next week. Yes, right now, right now. It's clearly bothering him, and if it'd help him settle his thoughts so he can go to sleep..."  
  
"I think that's a lost cause by now." Ren yawned. "I don't mind going over there, but... right now?"  
  
"It'd help give him some confirmation and validation. He can see, and we can fly home, and no one will know."  
  
"... He's not wrong." Yusuke agreed. "But it is quite late, and I don't wish to impose."  
  
A silence fell over the room. Ren and Morgana shared a look and carried on a short, silent conversation before Ren groaned, yawned, and stood up.  
  
"Let's go," he said drowsily, "before I fall asleep again."  
  


* * *

  
The flight to Madarame's shack had been quick. Yusuke had been taken by the sights and sounds of being high up in the air; he found the city beautiful, and at least for a moment, found himself distracted by the sleepless city adorned in bright light and noise. Ren clutched him tightly, but Yusuke was unconcerned, framing everything he saw with his fingers. He almost didn't notice as they finally reached the atelier, in a dark and silent neighborhood.  
  
"Follow me." Morgana ordered, and the two followed after him as he phased through the walls and into the room in question. It was pitch black in there, impossible to see for Yusuke. Ren's eyes turned golden as he scanned the room for a security camera, and after confirming its absence, he set Yusuke down and reached for the switch on the wall to properly illuminate what he had seen with his Third Eye.  
  
The young artist gasped audibly at the sight he took in. For a moment, he didn't move and didn't breathe. When he finally was able to snap out of it, he slowly stepped forward to the painting in question. Neither Ren nor Morgana made a sound as he stared at it for a long time.  
  
"This is it." he finally breathed. "There's... there's no mistaking it. This is the genuine Sayuri... he's kept it hidden all this time..."   
  
"Do you think he would notice if we took it with us and swapped it for one of the pieces on the shelf there??" Morgana questioned. Ren frowned.  
  
"I wouldn't advise that. That'd be tampering with a crime scene, and this place is no doubt going to be inspected up and down as soon as they get a warrant. We could get in trouble for this."  
  
"But he doesn't deserve to have it." Yusuke muttered. "Even so, yes, he would notice. He probably keeps track of each of those paintings. Tampering with the scene and stealing the painting, tempting as it may be, would be unwise. We could easily get caught."  
  
There was a moment of silence as Yusuke continued to stare at the painting. Morgana took a breath. "So... what do you want to do, Yusuke?"  
  
The boy hesitated, then cautiously stuck a hand out to touch the side of the canvas. Morgana flinched, went intangible, and touched Yusuke, spreading the intangibility. "Hey, careful, we don't want them finding any fingerprints fro--"  
  
Everyone went dead silent as the intangibility passed through Yusuke's fingertips and into the painting. A top layer of paint slid off, prompting Yusuke to jerk his hand away as the dried paint became solid and fluttered in dried chips to the ground. In an instant, the Sayuri transformed from a woman looking into mist into a woman staring down lovingly at a swaddled baby with dark blue hair just like Yusuke's. The boys gasped softly as Yusuke gawped at the portrait and began to shake.  
  
"This... this is a self-portrait." he breathed. "The baby..."  
  
"It's got your hair." Ren remarked. Yusuke shuddered.  
  
"M- Mom..." His eyes hardened. "This-- this is the mystery, isn't it?!" His voice raised as the boy went red. "This was never his painting at all, was it? He--"  
  
"Keep your voice down!" Morgana hissed. "Madarame could hear us, if he's here!"  
  
Yusuke went silent. His fists clenched and unclenched before abruptly snatching the painting.  
  
"It has to come with us," he growled, "it can't stay one more moment w..."  
  
The sound of rattling came. All eyes turned to the shelf of paintings, where four paintings began to vibrate. In a split second, they flew from the shelf and flew in formation, two on top, a long one down the middle, and a wide one at the bottom. The bottom turned into a painting of a mouth, the middle a painting of a nose, and the top paintings of eyes. The facial features bulged out of the canvas as the paintings began to glow and the eyes of the floating canvases focused on the ghost cat and two teens before it. Yusuke pulled the painting defensively against himself, hugging it as he stared defiantly back while Ren and Morgana gaped at the monster. Its mouth opened, and it spoke.  
  
"You brats dare steal from Lord Madarame?" it growled. "I'll paint all over you!"  
  
Ren grabbed both Morgana and Yusuke and jerked them away as the mouth painting reached out and tried to bite Yusuke. Yusuke scowled.   
  
"This painting is mine, foul creature!"  
  
"Is now the time for this?!"  
  
_"SHUT UP AND RUN!"_


	22. Azazel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super great at fight scenes. Please forgive me.

"ON YOUR LEFT!"  
  
Ren darted to his right, narrowly dodging an ectoblast from one of the painting's eyes. They had fled fast as they could from the atelier, but the portraits took up pursuit, and now the trio found themselves being chased through the air above the streets of Tokyo in a blind panic. Morgana clung to the back of Ren's jacket and barked orders and warnings while Yusuke was tightly clutched in Ren's arms. He himself clutched the painting, and despite several pleas to drop the painting to distract the ghost, Yusuke adamantly refused.  
  
"TURN LEFT, TURN LEFT!" Mona cried. Joker spun, twisting through the air to the right at his order, narrowly dodging the painting's mouth reaching out to bite him. Yusuke groaned from the movement, looking pale, but nevertheless clutched the painting tightly.  
  
"I'm getting nauseous!" Yusuke whined. Ren grit his teeth.  
  
"You COULD drop the painting and bring this chase to an end, you know..."  
  
Yusuke glared up at him. "Never!"  
  
Ren let out a frustrated groan. "We can't run forever from it!"  
  
Mona grunted. "We can't fight he--_ DUCK!"_  
  
Ren quickly nosedived and pulled himself back up with a smooth loop. Yusuke groaned and Joker stared as the paintings came to a stop and turned to face him.  
  
"Give me the painting!" it barked. "I, Azazel, order you to surrender!"  
  
_"NEVER!" _Yusuke snapped. The painting growled.  
  
"Wrong answer!"  
  
It shot another blast from its right eye, making Joker yelp as he narrowly moved aside and dodged it. Ren dived down again, darting underneath it and bolting as it took a moment to turn around and continue its pursuit.  
  
The chase continued for several moments longer until Ren spied a pitch black, sandy beach not far from the edge of Tokyo as he escaped the city. With his third eye, he found it to be abandoned, and an idea sprung to mind.  
  
"Hold on tight!" He ordered, and both Mona and Yusuke let out startled cries as he abruptly starting diving towards the sandy beach. Yusuke was bracing himself and the painting just as Ren suddenly turned back up again, and he grinned triumphantly as he heard Azazel behind him yelp in surprise as the ghost crash-landed in the sand.  
  
Ren set Yusuke down and snapped the painting out of his hands. Yusuke glared at him. "What are you doing?! Give that back!"   
  
He ignored his protests as he turned to Mona. "Get him out of here and call for help! I'll hold off the ghost in the meanwhile!"  
  
"Are you insane?! _Alone?!"_  
  
An ectoblast came out from behind them, and all screeched as they narrowly dodged. Ren grit his teeth and glared at the two. "GO!" He barked, and with one last reluctant look backwards, Morgana grabbed Yusuke by the back of his shirt and hoisted him away. Ren turned to the ghost, glaring defiantly.  
  
"All alone, now, Phantom Thief." Azazel snarled. "I'll ask you one last time-- give me the painting. Give it to me now, and you'll live."  
  
Ren bit his lip and looked down at the painting for a moment. With a heavy sigh, he floated forward, and the ghost grinned. "That's a smart boy. Give it here..."  
  
Just before Azazel could carefully take it from him using his mouth, Ren dove down and phased into the ground, burying the painting under several layers of sand and dirt. He prayed it would still be intact as he flew back up, punching the nose of the painting on the way up. The ghost howled and glared at him. "You little shit!"  
  
Joker grinned smugly as he dodged a bite attack. "Missed!" he mocked. He flew up and twirled gracefully between two ectoblasts as the eyes shot at him. "Missed me again!"  
  
"Oh, you asked for it, kid!" The ghost opened its maw, and Ren was ready to duck again-- when it spat out an inky black fluid all over him. Ren groaned in disgust and after a second, crashed to the ground. He coughed and grimaced.   
  
"T- The hell?!" He jumped up, but found himself unable to fly. "What did you do?!"  
  
"With that ink, you're powerless," Azazel said smugly, "prepare to die!"  
  
It lunged forward, and though Ren jumped back, the teeth of the ghost managed to reach and break through his left arm. He could feel the teeth plunge through his skin, and the boy screamed bloody murder as he desperately yanked his arm out of the ghost's mouth, scraping his arm. His sleeve was ripped off as he pulled back, revealing an arm rapidly being stained by red and green blood.  
  
With little further hesitation, Joker bolted toward the water in a desperate attempt to get the ink off himself. As he ran, Azazel followed and continued to spit black ink at him, almost causing him to trip and slip several times. He yelped in pain as an ectoblast made contact with his leg, and Ren tumbled forward, crashing face-first into the sand inches away from the tide.  
  
Ren turned himself over to come face-to-face (sort of) with Azazel, who was smirking at him.  
  
"Nowhere left to run, Thief," it mocked, "you shouldn't have gotten so cocky."  
  
Joker held his arms out and braced himself for a final blow. He heard it opening its jaw and creaking, and prepared for the attack.  
  
Instead of a painful bite, however, he heard a pair of surprised shouts, and opened his eyes to see Mona had returned and was standing between the two, his paws outstretched-- and a glowing shield the same color as Mona's ectoblasts protecting them.   
  
"How did you do that?" Ren sputtered. Mona shrugged.  
  
"No idea! A- Anyways, now's not the time for this! Go jump in the water! I'll distract it!"  
  
Joker scrambled to his feet and rushed into the ocean water behind him. He shivered as the cold water soaked through his clothes and winced as the saltwater stung his arm, but the ink came right off. Within seconds, Joker pulled himself out of the water and went intangible, phasing the cold water off.   
  
Mona was still holding the shield, but his ears were pinned back and he was gritting his teeth as the ghost repeatedly slammed into it. With a final blow against it, the shield faded, and Azazel quickly advanced towards the exhausted cat with a battle cry, ink welling in its mouth again. Acting on instinct, Joker flew between the two and pushed his arms out, and with it came a shield similar to Morgana's, albeit crimson red. It curved inward, stopping a flow of ink just as the ghost unleashed it-- it bounced off the sides of his shield harmlessly and back onto Azazel.  
  
Azazel groaned and screamed as all his paintings fell to the ground unceremoniously. "You... little... vermin!" it snapped. "I'll destroy you!"  
  
"Not if we destroy you first!" Mona cried out, floating up to Ren's side. He shared a look with Joker, and the two nodded at each other. "ALL OUT ATTACK!" the cat declared, and with that, the boys descended on it. After a flurry of punches, blasts, and kicks, the two put their paws and hands out together and summoned powerful ectoblasts, frying the portraits together. The ghost howled and screamed as its nose vanished, then an eye, and finally, it silenced as the mouth disappeared. The remaining eye as the two stopped quivered, but Joker and Mona didn't get a chance to finish it off.   
  
A bright, white vacuum surrounded the eye, and unceremoniously, it flew up towards the source. Joker and Mona looked up to see Phantom floating above them and sucking up the ghost with what looked to be a... thermos? It shrunk and vanished into the thermos, and silently, Phantom capped it and twisted the lid.   
  
The man peered down at them as he closed it and let out a weary breath of relief. Behind him, the sound of sirens came, as did flashing red lights as several white vans pulled onto the sand. Hazmat suited hunters began hopping out as Danny flew down to the two. Both flinched at his glaring green eyes.  
  
"Do either of you want to explain why you two were fighting a ghost in the middle of the night on a beach?" he snapped. Both boys stammered helplessly for several moments.  
  
"It was my fault, sir."  
  
They looked up to see Yusuke running up to the group, panting all the while. He bent over for a moment to catch his breath and stood up. "It's not their fault," the artist breathed, "it was mine. I'll explain everything, but don't punish them. Please." He turned to Ren and frowned worriedly. "Where's the painting?"  
  
Danny raised an eyebrow and put his hands on his hips. "The painting...?"  
  
Ren smiled and dove underground. He used his third eye to find the painting, which he grasped and took with him as he turned back around and came back above ground. Yusuke's eyes lit up as Ren held out the painting to him.  
  
"Here," he breathed, "it's all yours."  
  
Yusuke gripped the painting and stared at it for several moments. Tears began slipping his eyes as he clutched it to his chest. "I don't know how to thank you." he said tearfully. Danny stared, blinking a bit as he looked between the boys-- and finally, his eyes focused on Ren's arm. He winced.  
  
"Oof... okay. Yikes. You really took a beating, huh..." He sighed heavily. "Come on. Mona and Yusuke can explain everything while you get treated by Dr. Takemi." He turned to the two other boys, who immediately flinched under his hard gaze. "You have a lot of explaining to do."  
  


* * *

  
He winced, and bit his lip as the antiseptic made contact with his skin. "Ow, ow, ow..."   
  
"This is what you get for picking a fight in the middle of the night." Takemi scolded dryly, stifling a yawn. "You know, I didn't anticipate being kicked out of a cushy hospital job would lead to me being woken up at 3 in the morning to take care of a kid who thought it'd be a good idea to go snooping through a criminal's lair in the middle of the night."  
  
Ren scowled. "I told you already why we had to--"  
  
"Don't start with that shit. I'm up at... what time is it now? Fuck if I know, but it's still dark out and I'm sitting here stitching and cleaning nasty-ass wounds on a ghost kid when I could be sleeping. I will complain all I want." She sighed and examined his arm. "You know, if it wasn't for your powers, you would have bled enough to warrant a blood transfusion, and probably would have broken a bone or two." She began wrapping his arm with gauze. "Thankfully, you should just be left with a scar. I'm not sure if it will heal over or not on you; only time will tell." She sighed and nodded at his arm. "I'm done. You should be fine in a day or two, but keep an eye on it and keep replacing the gauze as needed. Don't let it get gross and wet, and no, going intangible doesn't count as cleaning it."  
  
The boy sighed and stood up, cradling his arm as Takemi led him to the door. Wakaba looked up from her chair in the waiting room and stood up as Takemi passed the sheepish boy to her. "Thank you again, and sorry for the trouble." she apologized. She frowned down at Ren and nudged him. Ren winced and blushed.  
  
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Takemi yawned. "Don't mention it. I'm heading home and going back to bed... guess I'll open up late tomorrow..."  
  
Wakaba nodded and kept a hand on Ren's back as she guided him back to Leblanc. Ren winced as he saw the lights were on as they approached the door, and the bell jingled as they entered. Sojiro was waiting with a cup of coffee at the bar, looking hastily dressed as he looked up tiredly at his wife and adoptive son. The boy flinched as Sojiro scowled at him.  
  
"Have a seat." Sojiro ordered. Ren obediently took a seat in one of the booths and stared down at the table until Sojiro snapped his fingers, prompting him to look up. "Nuh-uh. None of that. You look at us." His eyes hardened even further. "Do you want to explain to us why you three were out tonight fighting a ghost?"  
  
Ren gulped.  
  


* * *

_  
"... Back to our developing story on the ghost attack in Tokyo last night. Last night at around 3:30 am, Danny Phantom's apprentices and one of Ichiryusai Madarame's apprentices, were chased out of Madarame's Tokyo atelier by a ghost that was apparently hired by Madarame to guard a secret forgery operation. One casualty-- Phantom-sama's apprentice Joker-- and no significant property damages were reported. Joker suffered an injury to his left arm, though he is reported to be in otherwise good condition."  
_  
The camera switched from the reporter to a drone filming the fight on the beach.  
_  
"Joker and Mona appeared to have lured the assailant ghost to the beach, where it was successfully subdued and captured. It appeared to have been after the painting Madarame allegedly has been forging for over a decade, who has since been arrested. We have a statement from Phantom-sama this morning on the case."  
_  
The camera switched again, this time to Phantom in front of a crowd of reporters, looking tired.  
  
_"Good morning, everyone. I'm here to clarify the events of last night. My apprentices had been given a warrant to search Madarame's atelier after we received a tip from an anonymous source. They were to retrieve the painting in question that was being forged, but were supposed to wait until the following morning; I am told they went early after receiving a call from Madarame's apprentice, who reported strange sounds in the room the painting was being kept. They went ahead without me and while they were caught off-guard, they managed to successfully subdue the ghost in question and save the life of the apprentice who was there. I cannot comment on the case at hand against Madarame, but I can at least assure everyone that the ghost incident will be personally investigated by myself; while we do not know where it came from, there is no suspected danger to the public. Secondly, while my apprentices handled the fight well, they will be disciplined appropriately for acting recklessly; I ask you all to not judge them too harshly. They meant well and ran in for the sake of the apprentice who was in danger, and if you'll all recall, I was once a reckless youth, too. I now open to questions."_  
  
Sojiro switched the channel. Steam rose from the boys' and Futaba's meals as Sojiro yawned and turned to Sae, who had joined them that morning. The boys shivered under her steely gaze as she spoke. "You all are incredibly lucky that this didn't end horribly," she snapped, "and I have been assured that you will all be punished appropriately. Including you, Kitagawa."  
  
Yusuke nodded. "I accept my punishment, though I have no regrets." He turned to Sojiro. "You're really okay with letting me stay permanently, after everything?"  
  
Sojiro scoffed. "The bureau wants you where they can keep an eye on you, and in spite of everything, I think you're a good kid. But you're still grounded."  
  
The artist beamed. "I am honored. Thank you." He turned to Ren. "I promise I will be an excellent roommate. I am in your debt."  
  
Ren and Morgana just tiredly smiled at the boy. Futaba groaned. "So Inari's here to stay, huh..."  
  
Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the girl who sat at one of the booth seats, eating her breakfast. "'Inari'...?"  
  
She shrugged. "Dunno. It suits you. I could see you wearing a kitsune mask or something if you were a halfa, too."  
  
The artist's brows furrowed, and he frowned. "'Inari'..."  
  
Ren cleared his throat. "Anyways..." He turned to Morgana, who was sitting on the floor before his bowl, and smiled warmly. "I didn't get to say this last night, but... you saved my life. So... thanks."  
  
The cat chuckled. "I know you'd do the same for me." He hopped up on the stool beside Ren and held out a paw. "What are partners for?"  
  
The boy smiled and fist-bumped the paw. Sojiro scoffed. "'Partners' means you both get to share a punishment."  
  
Futaba winced as the boys did. "Press 'F' to pay respects." she muttered, and went back to her breakfast.

* * *

  
"So how long are you grounded for?"  
  
"A month."  
  
Ryuji winced, as did Ann, Haru, and Mishima as Ren and Morgana recounted the tale at lunch the following day, in the secret spot behind the gym. Morgana sighed and scratched an ear. "We're doing practice for an extra hour a week, and we're to go straight home after that," he explained, "plus now we have kitchen duty with Boss three times a week. Yusuke, too, even."  
  
Ann blinked. "Yusuke, too?"  
  
"Yup." Ren sighed and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. "Yusuke will be staying with us. The bureau doesn't want him going back to the dorms at Kosei-- they want him somewhere where they can keep an easy eye on him. So he's being grounded, too." He laughed dryly. "He doesn't seem remotely bothered, though. The authorities took Sayuri for the duration of the case against Madarame, but he's been deemed the rightful owner and heir, given it's a match with his mother's old artwork. He'll get it back when the case is wrapped up, so he's happy as can be; he just says this punishment was a small price to pay for justice."  
  
"It's not so bad," Haru said with a shrug, "kitchen duty actually sounds fun."  
  
"Yeah, but no hanging out after school for a month." Ren grumbled. "In spite of everything, though... I don't regret it."  
  
"Neither do I." Morgana trilled, then sighed. "But now this opens up a lot of questions. Why did Madarame have a ghost protecting his room-- or, rather, when and where did he get a ghost protecting his room? Especially given that until our accident, Japan had no permanently operating ghost portals." He grumbled. "Phantom-sensei said he'd start looking into it, but ordered us to stay out of it."  
  
"Maaan, that's some _bullshit."_ Ryuji griped. "You handled the ghost just fine, didn't you? And it's_ Yusuke _who grabbed the painting, not you!"  
  
Mishima cleared his throat. "On the bright side, the Phansite is on fire right now!" He grinned. "That fight was nothing short of _amazing! _You two are being called the Phantom Thieves now for your heroics last night, and everyone's praising your names." He shrugged. "What's a little grounding to you, anyways? It'll be over before you know it."  
  
The sound of another throat clearing came, and everyone jumped. As Ren looked over, his voice caught in his throat as Makoto Niijima approached with a curious look and a smile. "Sorry to interrupt," she said innocently, "I just heard you were all back here again and decided to come say hello."  
  
Ann scoffed. "You walked all this way to just say 'hello'? Give me a break."  
  
Makoto ignored her. Her eyes fell on Ren's arm, which the boy was still clutching. He dropped his arm and flushed as she approached, giving him a curious look. "Are you alright, Amamiya-kun?"  
  
"F- Fine." he said quickly. Makoto looked unconvinced, and gingerly reached for his arm. She pulled back his sleeve and frowned at the gauze.   
  
"Were you injured somehow?"  
  
"Yeah, but it's no big deal," Ren dismissed with a wave of his other hand, "it was just an accident. I... was helping my guardian in the kitchen and burned my arm. It should be fine."  
  
Makoto frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. That must have been painful." She set his arm down and raised an eyebrow. "Huh. You've got the wound exactly where Joker got hurt last night."  
  
"It's a coincidence," Haru dismissed, "lots of people get injured there."  
  
Makoto shrugged. "I wasn't suggesting it wasn't a coincidence. I was just worried for one of my fellow students; that's my job as student council president, after all."  
  
Ann glared daggers at her. "Oh, really? Then where were you when Kamoshida was violating girls and abusing his team?"  
  
The student council president glared right back at her as the boys shared bewildered looks. "I didn't know." she said through grit teeth. "If I had--"  
  
"You would have noticed if you cared enough!" Ann snapped. Makoto glared at her for a moment more, before sighing and turning away.  
  
"... Just make sure you get to your classes on time." She looked over her shoulder at Ren and smiled briefly. It made his heart jump. "I hope you feel better soon, Amamiya-kun."  
  
"T- T- Thanks." Ren stammered, and stared after her as she walked away. Mishima grimaced.   
  
"Oh, she's totally onto us..."  
  
Ryuji scoffed. "She can't prove nothin'." He looked back at Ren, who was still staring after her, and clapped the back of his head. "Hey, wake up, lover-boy."  
  
Ren reddened. "I don--"  
  
"Stay away from her," Ann snapped, "for your sake. Now..." She crossed her arms and turned back to Mishima. "You were saying, about the Phansite?"  
  
Ren tuned out of the conversation as he hung his head. Morgana stared up at him apprehensively in silence as the others talked.

* * *

  
"Have you found anything yet?"  
  
"Nothing yet, sir."  
  
The principal grumbled to himself and shook his head with disappointment as Makoto warily stared at him as she stood before his desk. After a moment, the principal glared at her.  
  
"Really? Nothing?"  
  
"No, sir." She crossed her arms. "They-- they seem... normal enough."  
  
"You haven't found any proof yet about their connections to those ghosts that showed up on campus? Or any... unusual activities?"  
  
"No, sir." She paused. "Why again am I spying on him? He seems like a very nice boy who's just trying t--"  
  
"The reasoning doesn't concern you, Niijima-san." The principal sighed heavily and frowned at her. "There is no one else I'd entrust more to this task than you. After all, as the student council president and the younger sister of a highly successful prosecutor, I expect great things out of you."  
  
The girl frowned. "But, sir... why again am I spying on him? They made it clear in the news that--"  
  
"I don't care what was made clear in the news," he snapped, "I need to ensure the student body is safe, given all the rumors floating about..." Makoto scowled, and looked as though she was on the verge of speech, but she bit her lip and looked away. He ignored her as he continued. "And if I'm going to write you a glowing letter of recommendation, I need you to stay on top of this and fulfill your responsibilities. Do you understand?" She nodded silently. The principal waved his hand. "Good. You are dismissed."  
  
She turned and left without another word. As she shut the door behind herself, Kobayakawa reached for a phone on his desk. He cleared his throat. "Sir? Are you still there?... Good. Yes, I have someone on the case right now. If Amamiya so much as sneezes, she'll inform me..." He paused. "Of course I'm sure about this. The Niijimas are high-achievers who stop at nothing; she'll get results if she wants that letter of recommendation."  
  


* * *

  
As Makoto left the room, she took a moment to glance around herself in the quiet hallway. It was after school by this point, and the crowd was dispersing, leaving only small groups of students standing around and chatting. After a moment, she nodded, walked off to the side, and plucked her notebook out of her pocket. Quickly, the girl jotted down some notes, closed the book, and tucked it back in her pocket. She sighed and shook her head.  
  
"You really need to be more careful, Amamiya-kun..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting a new job next week, so updates will likely slow down. Neither this nor In Between Palaces has been abandoned, though.


	23. Operation Maid Watch

“Oh... yes, such inspiration! True art is within my grasp!” Yusuke laughed ecstatically. “This is the greatest source of inspiration I have ever been blessed with access to! You are all absolutely stunning!”

“Yusuke, we’re just practicing ectoshields...”

Yusuke had begged to accompany the group to practice to watch, and with mild hesitation, he was allowed to come with. By this point, not all of the group members attended every session, with the boys having gotten comfortable enough at practice. Their moral support was great at the start, but wasn’t always needed any longer at every practice. Still, they all chose to come that day to bemusedly see Yusuke lose his mind over the sight. 

They and the scientists stared at him while Ren flushed and Morgana laughed, both pushing shields out of their hands/paws as Phantom instructed them, showing him his own shield as Yusuke sketched away on a pad rapidly with wide eyes and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. His eyes practically shone with glee as he worked.

Danny coughed and lowered his shield. His apprentices did the same, and the man scratched the back of his neck. “You kids found quite the character to join your group, huh?”

Ren chuckled. “I guess we did. In any case, he’s here to stay.”

“Many thanks again!” Yusuke said gleefully over their earpieces. “You and your powers— it’s a beautiful, _beautiful_ thing! Please resume your activities! Don’t mind me!”

Danny rolled his eyes and cleared his throat. “Right. Okay, so, let’s move on to manipulating the shield into a full dome, then we’ll practice making it a perfect sphere around you...”

* * *

“We’re ho—“

Ren didn’t get the full greeting out before an apron slapped him in the face. Yusuke yelped in surprise beside him as he, too, was hit with an apron. The boy blinked and pulled it off of his head to see Sojiro giving the both of them a wry smile.

“Eat your dinner and put that apron on, wash your hands, and wait for me by the kitchen.” 

“Right away, Sakura-san!” Yusuke said cheerfully. The two ate the meal Sojiro provided for them and reported to the kitchen as requested. Sojiro fussed with the door, ensuring it was locked, with the sign flipped to ‘closed’ and a large, dark curtain he had recently installed pulled over the windows, blocking anyone from seeing inside.

The man cleared his throat and approached.

“Alright,” he started, “I’m going to have the three of you wash dishes and sweep up around the store.”

“How am I supposed to help?!” Morgana protested from where he perched on Ren’s shoulder. “I don’t have thumbs!”

The man stared at him with an unimpressed stare. Morgana looked toward the curtains on the door and blinked. “Oh.” He sighed. “Damn it.” 

He hopped off Ren and transformed. Sojiro just handed him a small apron with no comment. Yusuke frowned at Ren.

“Aren’t you going to transform, too?”

Ren frowned. “Uhh... no. Why would I?”

“Don’t you need to a few times a week in the evening? Now is as good a time as any, is it not?”

“Later.” Ren dismissed, reddening. Sojiro cleared his throat.

“Actually... it’d be awfully nice if someone could dust any cobwebs off the ceiling...”

Ren grumbled and willed the transformation.

* * *

It was a bit of a surprise to Ren how nonchalant Sojiro had become over the transformation. 

He barely reacted to either his or Morgana’s transformation. The man just assigned work and told them to get to it, though he had to remind Yusuke to get to work when the boy stopped to frame the two with his fingers. 

Within an hour through their combined efforts, the shop was clean. Ren willed the transformation back and breathed a sigh of relief as Sojiro waved the boys over. 

“Alright, nice work.” he said. “So, you don’t have to do this after you’re done being grounded, but I’d appreciate it if you kids could help out now and then. It’s a lot of work running this place by myself, and I could use the help.”

“Of course, Sakura-san,” Yusuke said cheerfully, “I’d be honored to help as much as you need. It’s only fair considering you allow me to stay here free of charge and even feed me.”

Sojiro grimaced. “Jesus... kid, your old guardian was an asshole. You’re basically our kid now; you don’t have to feel obligated for getting fed. That’s our responsibility.”

Ren nodded. “Still... I feel the same way. You do a lot, so... it’s only fair.”

“Same.” Morgana agreed, floating beside Ren. Sojiro cracked a smile.

“Well, then... how about I teach you kids to make coffee and curry? It’ll take a lot of practice to get to where I am, but women love a man who knows how to cook.” He grinned. “And you want the ladies to like you, don’t you?”

“I want ladies to love me.” Ren agreed with a wry smile. Morgana snickered. 

“Especially one lady in particular, right?”

Ren went red as a beet as Sojiro burst into laughter. He nudged Morgana. “Shut up!”

_“You liiiike Makoto-senpai!”_ Morgana teased as he swung his paws together and grinned deviously. Ren grit his teeth and swatted at him, prompting the cat to smirk and swat back. 

“You little shit!”

“Alright, break it up!” Sojiro said between laughs. 

Yusuke blinked. “... Who’s Makoto-senpai? Also, I must admit I’m surprised. You struck me as preferring men.”

“Oh, he does like men, too, but right now he has a crush on a girl.”

_“MORGANA!”_ Ren cried. Morgana gave him a befuddled look as he went bright red. 

“What? What’s the big deal?”

_“I wasn’t ready to come out to Sojiro!”_ he hissed. Sojiro just laughed.

“Don’t sweat it, kid, I don’t mind or even care.” He turned to Morgana. “Just FYI, don’t tell people other people’s sexual orientations. It’s not considered polite or anyone else’s business.”

“Ohhh...” Morgana nodded. “Okay.”

Ren let out a sigh of relief, and his heart swelled with affection for his adopted family as Sojiro turned to a bag of coffee beans he had out. “Right. So, you’re going to want to grind these just right...”

* * *

The next month wasn’t so bad in spite of the grounding. 

Ren went to practice with Yusuke and Morgana every day and hung out with his friends at lunch. He’d head home and some nights help Sojiro out, or Wakaba if she needed it. On nights they didn’t need help, he’d study and on rare occasion go play multiplayer with Futaba when her parents decided to turn a blind eye to the fact he was grounded.

He grew closer to his adoptive family and for the first time in his life, felt safe around his family.

His_ family._ He decided they were far more worthy of the title than his biological family. Sojiro and Wakaba had proven to be excellent parents, Futaba became like a sister to him, and even Yusuke was becoming like a brother to him. 

At some point, the novelty of living with half ghosts wore off on Yusuke, and while he still greatly admired them, he stopped fussing and staring in the evenings when they transformed. He ended up being a good and considerate roommate, save for the fact he’d sometimes stay up late working on a piece. The odor of paint and the sound of paint being streaked against a canvas become common in the attic. Ren and Morgana decided it was fine, though, considering he was polite in most other regards and he kept relatively quiet while he worked.

The month passed swiftly, and soon enough, the boys were free again. Sojiro had let them off with a simple “Don’t do anything stupid from now on” in the morning, and off to school they went.

In spite of that, Ren knew immediately that he was walking into something stupid when Ryuji approached him privately at lunch by the vending machines with a too-wide grin. Morgana was off with the girls while Ren got soda from the machine, and Ryuji pounced like a cat sizing up a friend to spar with.

“Hey,” he whispered giddily, “you’re done being grounded, right?”

“Right...” he confirmed hesitantly, popping open a can of soda. His friend beamed.

“Great. I’ve got just the thing to celebrate...” He looked over his shoulders before pulling a flier for a maid service out of his jacket. Ren stared dumbly at it. “A maid service, dude! It says she’ll do anything for us!”

Ren coughed awkwardly and looked away. “You mean... for Leblanc?”

Ryuji scoffed. “No, dumbass!” He plopped himself down on the bench next to Ren and threw an arm around him. He leaned in as Ren felt sweat drip down his neck. “Listen. The guy next to our apartment moved out. The door is unlocked. We can use it and no one will know!”

“B—But...”

“It’ll be fun!”

“Hey, I heard that!”

Both boys startled and looked up to see Mishima had approached with a wry smile. Ryuji pulled away from Ren and the two stared awkwardly at Mishima as the boy cleared his throat. “Can I, uh... get in on this?”

Ryuji grinned. “Oh-ho! So you’re into this sorta thing, too, Mishima?”

Mishima reddened and shook his head. “C— Certainly not! It— it’s for the sake of justice!”

The boys blinked blankly at him. 

“For justice?” Ryuji questioned. Mishima nodded as he crossed his arms.

“A maid service that says they’ll do anything... what do they mean by anything? And do they truly mean it? It’s suspicious! And we should investigate it!” He held a fist up and smiled proudly. “For justice!”

There was a pause. Ryuji blinked at him and Ren kept his head down for a moment.

“In that case...”

The whisper escaped Ren as barely audible, but the other boys immediately turned their heads to him as he picked his head up. He had a serious frown on his face. “In that case... we should do it! For justice!”

The boys beamed, and Ryuji rose to his feet and excitedly held his arms out. “Ren-Ren!” he cried excitedly. Mishima laughed.

“Let’s give this mission a name! Like... maid watching quest... no...” He nodded and picked his head up, eyes determined. “Operation Maid Watch!”

* * *

Mishima arrived in the meeting place first. They had agreed to meet in Shibuya, near the book store at the start of the street. 

The boy shrugged it off. He was there early as it was, and began peeking through a variety of tech and programming magazines for ideas on how to better the Phansite.

His mind drifted off from the contents of the books and magazines as he thought back to the Phansite. The Tokyo Phantoms— or rather, the Phantom Thieves, as they were more commonly being called now— only grew more popular after the fight the previous month. 

Ren didn’t want to discuss it much while Morgana puffed his chest out with pride when the topic came up. Mishima huffed to himself quietly about it, but understood that it was a very slow process for Ren to accept what he had become, even with all the support he was being given.

Mishima thought back to how odd his life had become in the last few months for a moment before a voice snapped him out of his reverie.

“What are you reading?”

Mishima jumped and turned to his left, where Ren stood and stared at him curiously. He smiled awkwardly. “Oh, just... stuff for the Phansite.” he said as he tucked the magazines back on the rack. Ren’s lips twitched. 

“Oh."

“Yeah, the Phansite has gotten really popular,” Mishima explained, “almost everybody loves you and Mona now. Donations have been sufficient to support server costs, but I’ve been trying to think of new features to add to the site.”

Ren shrugged. “I could put you in contact with Fenton-sensei’s best friend. He knows a lot about web development and security, and he’s in the loop about... you know what.”

Mishima’s brows lifted. “Ooh, really? You’ve met him?”

“Yeah. We had dinner once with him, Mr. Fenton, and Mrs. Fenton.”

Mishima stared at him with wide eyes for a moment.

“Phantom-sama is _married?”_

Ren nodded. “Yeah, she’s really cool. They’re expecting twins in October.” 

Mishima’s brows lifted higher. “Halfas can have_ kids?”_

“Well, the fact the ultrasounds are showing cores proves that.”

“Holy shit.” he whispered, eyes wide. After a moment, he shook his head and flushed. “Sorry, we’re getting off topic, plus I guess that’s not really my business, but... wow.” He cleared his throat. “Do you know where Sakamoto is?”

“He said he’d be running a little late.”

“Right.” Mishima paused. “Umm... Morgana and Yusuke?”

“They don’t know what we’re up to.” Ren confirmed. Mishima let out a deep sigh. 

“Oh, good. Good. Did either suspect anything?”

He shook his head. “Yusuke, no, because he was too busy working on a painting to give me so much as a second glance. Morgana was suspicious, but I managed to convince him we were just hanging out.”

“Hey!”

Both boys looked up to see Ryuji approaching, hands in the pockets of his purple jacket as he smiled apologetically. 

“Sorry I’m late. You guys ready to go to...” He grinned. “Operation maid watch?”

Mishima grinned and unnecessarily flashed the peace sign with his fingers. “Operation maid watch is a-go!”

Ren half-heartedly held up an unnecessary peace sign with his fingers. 

“Operation maid watch a-go...”

* * *

He was beginning to feel regret as he and the other boys gathered in the apartment building. The room was sparse, having been cleaned out of most furniture, and it dawned upon him that maybe this wasn’t the greatest idea after all.

Ryuji and Mishima seemed like they were coming to a similar realization, but both forced nervous smiles all the same. “So...” Mishima started awkwardly. “What do you think we should have her do first? I was thinking maybe some cooking...”

“Is there even anything to cook with in here?” Ren questioned dryly. The boys cringed a bit and shared a look. 

“Umm... maybe not that, then.” Ryuji said with a shrug. “How’s about we just... call and figure it out from there?”

“Y— Yeah.” Mishima agreed. 

Ryuji looked at him expectantly. Mishima stares right back at him expectantly as well.

“So...” Ryuji drawled.

“So.” Mishima replied plainly.

They stared at each other for a moment before turning to Ren, who flinched. “Ren, you call them.” Ryuji pleaded with a nervous smile. Ren frowned.

“Wasn’t this your idea?”

“So? You agreed to it.”

Ren rolled his eyes and pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialed the number and held the phone to his ear. It rang once before being picked up by a masculine voice.

“Thank you for calling Victoria’s Housekeeping!”

“They picked up...!” Ryuji gasped. Mishima glared at him.

“Shh!”

“I take it you’re interested in our services, then? Do you have any preference for a maid?”

The boys quivered behind him as Ren replied: “Send anyone.”

“Very well! Let’s see... we should have a maid available in 20 minutes. May I have your address?”

Ren shared the address and hung up. As he turned back to the boys, they had gone wide-eyed and pale.

“Whoa... this is really happening...” Ryuji breathed. Ren smiled wryly.

“What’s the matter? You both look like you’ve... seen a ghost.”

Their expressions of anxiety quickly warped into exasperation. They groaned.

“Dude...” Ryuji groused. Mishima sighed. 

“How many times now have we heard that joke?”

Ren shrugged. “Dunno. How many times have either of you told me to ‘look alive’? Not to mention the ‘scared half to death’ jokes... I’m not even actually ‘half-dead.’”

“Fair point.” Mishima conceded with a shrug. “But anyways...” He took a breath. “It’ll be okay. I think.”

“You think?” Ryuji questioned nervously. Mishima scowled. 

“Don’t ask me! This was your idea.”

Ryuji let out an exasperated sigh and looked away. “I’m gonna go use the bathroom before she gets here.”

He left and returned 10 minutes later. Mishima frowned. “You were in there for awhile... are you alright? Did you wash your hands?”

Ryuji didn’t seem to notice he said anything for a moment as he stared off into space. He jerked himself awake and stared wide-eyed at Mishima. “Huh?! What?! Me?”

Mishima groaned and winced. “M— Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

The doorbell rang, and all three boys froze like deer in the headlights. 

“Hello! Victoria’s Housekeeping!” a feminine (yet somehow familiar) voice came. The boys all stared in horror at the door simultaneously. 

“She’s early!” Ryuji hissed. 

“Oh, the door is unlocked...” the voice noted. “May I come in?”

“Oh shit...” Mishima breathed sharply. “I can’t do this!”

“M— Me neither!” Ryuji squeaked. Both had gone white and turned to Ren in a panic. “D— Dude! Do us a solid and get us out of here!”

“We can’t just ditch her!” Ren protested. Mishima let out a frustrated cry.

“To hell with that! C’mon, let’s—“

As he heard footsteps approach, he latched onto Ren’s arm. Ryuji followed suit, grabbing his other. Ren looked over his shoulder and groaned before going intangible, making the boys shiver as the tingle of intangibility passed through them. 

The sound of a familiar woman gasping sharply caused him to stop abruptly, his powers failing him out of horror. The other two let go of him, and all three boys whirled around to see a very familiar woman in a maid costume and a brown wig staring in with wide eyes and a loose jaw in the entryway. 

Ren backed away, but the motion only made her gasp again. The boys looked at him and winced.

“Dude!” Ryuji hissed in a panic. “You’re invisible!”

Ren looked down at himself, yelped, and became visible against his will. He finally decided to just stay where he was and stare back in frozen horror at that maid. It quickly dawned upon him who it was, judging by the voice and face. He knew it well, as he had worked for her for an hour once a day six days a week since the beginning of the semester.

“B- Boys?” she gasped. “Sakamoto... Mishima... and... Amamiya?!”

Ren gulped. 

“K— K— Kawakami-sensei?” he questioned. “You, uh... you didn’t see that... right?”

A prolonged, painfully awkward silence filled the air as both parties stared at each other in dead silence. It was almost suffocating. Ren in particular felt like dying as Kawakami— in a maid costume, of all things— stared right back at him with stunned eyes. Neither Mishima nor Ryuji made so much as a peep as they stared at her in utter bewilderment.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, and after what felt like an eternity, she spoke.

“I won’t tell anyone you if you won’t.”

“Deal.” the boys chorused. Kawakami nodded slowly. 

“I am going to turn around, walk away, and we will never speak of this again. Understand?”

“Understood.” the boys all squeaked out. After a few more painful seconds, Kawakami turned around and walked out shakily, leaving the three boys standing in absolute silence.

After a moment, Ren sank and laid down on the tatami floor. 

“Kill me.”


	24. A Wish

“You’re an idiot.”

It was the first words out of Morgana’s mouth when a still-bewildered Ren floated through the walls and into his room. Morgana had been waiting for him on the bed, Yusuke was sitting on his futon was crossed arms and a glare at Ren, and Futaba was perched on the couch with her laptop. Ren blanched as he landed and transformed back.

“What?!”

“Mona asked me to spy on you because he was suspicious you were up to something stupid.” Futaba elaborated. “And something stupid it was!”

“‘Stupid’ is an understatement.” Yusuke snapped, glaring at Ren with surprising intensity. “What were you thinking?!”

“He wasn’t.” Morgana deadpanned. Ren let out a sharp exhale and put a hand to his forehead.

“Listen, I thought I have my powers well enough under control tha—“

“You don’t!” Yusuke snapped; Ren flinched and his eyes widened with surprise. “And even if you think you do, why in the world would you risk that for such a stupid idea?! How did you think that was going to end?!”

Ren grimaced and shook his head as he looked away. “Rub it in, why don’t you?... Does Boss know?”

“We haven’t told anyone yet.” Futaba reassured with a shrug. “In spite of what just happened, I don’t think you’re in any danger of being outed by her. After all, you just caught her working as a maid. It would destroy her career if anyone found out. Mutual blackmail.” Futaba looked up. “I’ll investigate why she’s doing that to begin with, but for now, lay low.”

“No.” Morgana piped up from the bed. “We should speak to Kawakami tomorrow when the opportunity arises and sort things out. We have her secret. She has yours. We need to ensure the situation is secure.”

Ren groaned and covered his face. “I don’t think I can ever look her in the eye again, though.”

“Too bad. You made your bed; now you must lie in it.” Yusuke said bluntly. 

Ren couldn’t bring himself to issue a rebuttal.

* * *

Kawakami wouldn’t look Ren in the eye at school. She similarly avoided looking at or calling upon Mishima or Ryuji as well, but Ren sensed deep discomfort from her during homeroom and especially during his period as TA. She didn’t give him any work that morning, and he sat in utter silence for the period.

At lunch, the boys reconvened without the others (sans Morgana, who tagged along), all shaky and with guilty frowns.

“Has she said anything to either of you?” Ren opened, and the other boys shook their heads. The halfa sighed. “Yeah, me neither. She can’t look me in the eye.”

“We can’t, either,” Mishima pointed out with a grimace, “it’s an incredibly awkward situation for both sides here.”

“Man...” Ryuji shook his head. “Who’da thought Kawakami moonlights as a maid?”

“But why, though?” Morgana questioned from Ren’s shoulder. “Is she in debt or something? That’s not something a teacher would do if she wasn’t desperate for cash...”

“Probably, but who can say for sure?” Mishima sighed heavily and shrugged. “What do we do now? She’s got dirt on us— well, especially Ren— and we’ve got dirt on_ her.”_

“We need to talk to her.” Morgana said bluntly. At the other boys’ grimaces and winces, he sighed with exasperation. “Don’t give me that! You idiots got yourselves in this situation. I’m helping you get out of it.” He turned to Ren, who turned his head to him. “Ren, after school, let’s catch up with Kawakami. Get her number and invite her to Leblanc using the maid service. We have a lot we need to discuss with her...”

Ren groaned. “Oh, boy. This is going to be awkward...”

* * *

After school, he found Kawakami after school on the third floor not far from the faculty office, being hounded by Miss Chouno, his English teacher. Kawakami was nervously clutching a planner to her chest and backing away from an increasingly irate and accusatory coworker as Ren approached.

“... I already told you—“

“No!” Chouno cut off. “You keep missing faculty meetings, you’re constantly the first one out, and—“ She paused as she noticed Ren’s approach from behind. The woman raised an eyebrow while Kawakami gawked at him as if he had grown a second head. “Is something wrong, Amamiya-kun? Unless it’s an emergency, now isn’t a good time.”

“Pardon me,” he said with a sheepish smile, “I came because I had another question for Miss Kawakami, and I was going to inform her that I finished grading that last stack of homework for her.”

Chouno raised an eyebrow. “... Another question?”

Kawakami’s brows lifted, and she laughed nervously as she forced a smile. “O— Oh! Yes, you see, I tutor Amamiya-kun sometimes after school, and in return, he helps me grade homework. He wants to get into a good university, so he’s been asking for a lot of help.”

Chouno’s face lit up as she smiled at Kawakami. “Why didn’t you just say so? How wonderful it is that you’re giving lessons after school hours to students! Such diligence and dedication to teaching!” 

Kawakami smiled sheepishly. “Oh, thank... you...”

Chouno turned to Ren and smiled. “That would explain why you’re doing so well in class. You’re such a good student; I have no doubts you’ll get into the university of your dreams with that work ethic! If Kawakami is ever busy, feel free to come to me! I’d be happy to tutor you, too, though you’re already doing very well in English.”

Ren smiled. “Oh, thank you, Chouno-sensei.”

Chouno turned to Kawakami. “We’re lucky Shujin Academy got him. He’s such a nice young man; I’m sorry I suspected you. Have a wonderful day!”

With that, the teacher happily walked off, and Kawakami let out a deep sigh of relief. She and Ren stared at each other briefly, awkwardly, before the teacher cleared her throat. “Thank you. I thought she’d never stop hounding me.” 

“Happy to help.”

There was a pause, and finally, Kawakami sighed, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “You want to talk, don’t you?” Ren nodded, and his teacher huffed. “This isn’t a good place. Follow me.”

She led him down the halls to a quiet hallway end, where no one was lurking save for them. After a moment’s hesitation, Ren spoke first.

“Alright, I’m going to level with you. I need to discuss what you may have seen last night.”

“Not here. Not at school.” Kawakami pulled a page from her planner and wrote down a number, which she handed to Ren. “Call me from this number. Request ‘Becky’. Then we’ll talk somewhere more private.”

“I’ll call you after my guardian goes home. I live in the attic of a cafe.” He took the number, and paused. The boy cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. “So, um... you haven’t...”

“I haven’t told anyone, and won’t.” Kawakami said with a shake of the head, a hand on her hip. “I doubt anyone would believe me anyways. I trust you’ve done the same for my secret.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” She sighed and turned away. “I’ll see you later, Amamiya-kun.”

* * *

Yusuke excused himself to go to an art supply store when Ren decided it was time to call Kawakami. Shortly after, Sojiro closed up shop, enabling Ren to surreptitiously call the maid service and ask for Becky. He prayed no one would notice her coming or going as he cleaned up his attic a bit.

Soon enough, there was a knocking at the door, and Ren opened it to see Kawakami in her maid costume. With little hesitation, she made her way in without a word. 

“Is anyone else here?” she questioned. Ren shook his head.

“No, ma’am. Just me and my cat and you.”

“Good.” She turned to scowl at him. “Not. A. Word. About my outfit.”

“My lips are sealed.” He nodded towards the stairs and tucked his hands in his pockets. “Come on.”

She followed him up the stairs and paused briefly as she took in his room. She quickly eyed the futon and frowned.

“You have a roommate? Will they be back?”

“Not while you’re here.” Ren reassured. He crossed his arms, and an awkward silence fell over the room as they avoided looking at each other directly. Finally, Kawakami huffed.

“Let’s get this over with. You start.” 

The two moved to sit on the couch. Morgana, who had been silently watching from the bed, hopped off and onto the couch with Ren and under his hand. 

After a moment, Ren and Morgana shared a look. 

“... I don’t know.” Ren muttered. “This... this is a _really_ sensitive secret...”

Kawakami let out a huff. “Fine. I’ll go first: I have a sister. She’s very sick and struggling to keep up with medical bills, so I’m doing this. It’s not like I want to do this.”

Ren winced. “That’s rough. I’m sorry to hear that.” After a moment’s pause, he sighed, then leveled his eyes with her. “What I’m about to tell you—“

“I can’t tell anyone. And won’t.”

“Right.” After a long pause, Ren took a breath and stood up. “It... would be best if I just showed you.”

He took a few steps away from her. After a last moment’s hesitation, Ren closed his eyes and transformed. He heard Kawakami gasp softly, but very little else as he opened his eyes and looked at her plainly. She was opening and closing her mouth speechlessly, which wasn’t helped by Morgana yawning, drawing her attention, and transforming himself. She flinched back from the flames as the cat picked himself up to stare at her.

Finally, she looked back at Ren again, who was clutching his other arm and looking away. 

_“Oh.”_ she said quietly. “Oh... this... this explains a lot.”

“Mhm.” Ren sighed and shrugged, tucking his hands in his pockets. “I’m— we’re half ghosts. The portal did this to us. Do you understand now why you can’t tell anyone?”

“Half... ghost? Such a thi— being— um—“

“It’s okay. I know it’s... weird.” he confirmed, flushing. His teacher’s frown softened.

“I don’t mean it like that! I’m not trying to make you feel bad or wrong, it’s just... a shock, is all.” 

Ren sighed heavily. “You’re telling me. I got disowned for this. I’m still coming to grips with it.”

“The long and short of it,” Morgana piled up, prompting the teacher to yelp and jump as she turned to the cat, who had his paws on his hips, “we’re living beings— still human, and still a cat, respectively. However, our DNA has permanently been infused with ectoplasm, bestowing us with ghost powers.” 

“... Wow.” After a long silence, Kawakami swallowed hard and nodded. “I... I think I understand. You two, and Phantom-sama... you’re all... still just... people.” Her eyes softened. “... I won’t tell anyone, and I expect you to do the same for me and my secret. Aside from that being an awful thing to do to someone, you’re my student; I’m supposed to support you, and...” She grimaced. “God, you’ve been through so much... you never deserved this, and...” The teacher winced. “You’d be in big trouble if your guardians found out I know, huh?”

“Big time.” Ren confirmed. She scowled.

“Do you have any idea how stupid what you did was? What if it wasn’t me who walked in, and...” She paused, hung her head, and sighed heavily. “Never mind that for now. I’ll need to talk to the three of you together later about that.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to lie to you. Not after what I saw.” She looked at him and sighed. “I don’t have a sick sister. I made that up. The truth is, I... used to teach at another school. There, I was asked to convince the student with the lowest grades and worst attendance to drop out and transfer to another school.”

“What does...”

“Shh. I’m not done yet.” Kawakami huffed. “I... felt bad for him. He had lost both of his parents and worked three jobs to support himself. I tutored him and helped him bring his grades up, but it only made the principal mad. He ordered me to stop tutoring him because he was a juvenile delinquent or resign. I made a terrible mistake and stopped tutoring him. I called to tell him during one of his part time jobs in heavy rain. He died the same day in a car crash from falling asleep at the wheel— exhaustion.”

“That’s horrible.”

“I know.” Kawakami sighed. “His guardians blamed me and are threatening to sue me for his death unless I pay ‘apology’ money. Hence why I’m working as a maid.” She put her hands in her lap. “So... you know my secret, and I know yours. We’ll both keep these secrets, for each other’s sakes.”

Ren and Morgana shared a sad look before turning back to Kawakami. Morgana patted her arm. “Is there anything we can do to help you?” he questioned. She pulled away and shook her head.

“No.” Kawakami stood up and hugged herself. “I... I need to go.” She frowned at him. “Tomorrow, at lunch, bring Sakamoto and Mishima with you to my classroom. I need to have a talk with the three of you.” She turned to Morgana. “Morgana-chan, because I know you have human intelligence, I’ll be expecting you to pay attention in class with Ren from now on.”

“What?” Morgana blurted, blinking at her. She nodded.

“You heard me. You’re my student now, too. Unofficially, perhaps, but if you’re that smart, you deserve an education, too.” As Morgana sputtered, she turned and courtesied to Ren. “I’ll... see you tomorrow.”

With that, she headed off without another word.

* * *

Ren groaned the instant he found himself in a white void that night. Desiree hadn’t even come into sight yet, but he mentally prepared himself for the grilling to come as she appeared with a disappointed expression.

“You seem to have found yourself in quite a predicament, young man.”

“Hmph.”

“I could make this all go away, you know...”

“No.”

“Don’t be so stubborn!”

Ren sighed and rolled his eyes. Desiree crossed her arms and glared at him.

“I’m offering to help you, you know,” she scolded, “you’re such a stupid young man, you know, not that it’s surprising. Men always think with their dick first and their mind second... and heart last.”

“Oh, come on!” Ren threw his hands up. “I made a mistake, but I’m trying to own up to it. Why did you come to rub my personal failings in my face?”

“Because you’re an idiot, but I find myself somewhat fond of you, so I’m offering my aid.”

Ren grimaced and stared at Desiree. Temptation took him to wish it all away, to make everyone forget, himself included. It’d be easy— he’d be free of fear of exposure, and Kawakami—

His face fell. Kawakami. His heart ached for her, for her misery. 

“I... can’t.” he said with a shake of the head. “I can’t forget. Not when Kawakami needs help. She’s being held hostage by those people; I have to help her somehow.”

Desiree scowled and put her hands on her hips. “And put yourself in more danger of exposure for the sake of a woman who could reveal you?”

Ren glared at her. “Yes! I just have to figure out how to help her...” He groaned. “If only there was a way to make the people blackmailing her just... stop.”

After a moment’s pause, his eyes widened. His expression softened immediately and his eyes were full of hope. “You can grant wishes.”

Desiree scoffed. “You don’t say?”

Ren nodded. “I need your help, please. Kawakami needs your help. Is it possible to wish for her blackmailers to have a change of heart? To make them just... feel bad and stop harassing her without severe side consequences?”

“Why do you want to help her so badly?” Desiree snapped. “She—“

“Because it’s the right thing to do!” he snapped back, and Desiree stopped short. She stared at him as he stared back at her. The boy sighed and crossed his arms. “Look. I’m asking a lot, so... I’ll only make this wish if you are comfortable with it and if it is safe. And...” He shrugged. “Is... there anything I can get you in return for your help?”

The ghost blinked. “You... wish to reward me for a wish? But you are not required to do so...”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s only fair.”

The genie ghost gawped at him for a long time. Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes softened. “Oh.” she said, stunned. “Oh. I...” She looked down for a moment and sighed as she looked back up. “... If you insist.”

“I do insist.”

“Then...” Desiree put her hands together. “Wish for her blackmailers to feel remorse for extorting her and stop extorting her. Go and purchase me a box of plain pocky and leave it on the center of your work table.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Is a box of pocky all you want?”

“Did I stutter?”

“... No, ma’am.” He met her eyes. “If this is our deal, then... I wish Kawakami’s blackmailers would feel remorse for extorting her and stop extorting her.”

There was a pause. A few conflicting emotions flashed over the ghost’s face before she smiled.

“So you have wished it... and so it shall be.”


	25. Freeing the Teacher

Ren wasn’t sure what to expect when he headed to school the next day. He wasn’t sure if Desiree was just a dream, and if she wasn’t, if she had granted the wish in a good way. Nevertheless, he steeled himself and headed in, barely noticing as he still managed to part the sea of other students on his way to class.

When he reached the classroom, Kawakami was nowhere in sight. At first, he brushed it off, but as the class filled and she failed to make an appearance, his heart shook. Finally, the bell rang, and she still wasn’t there. For a moment, he feared something terrible had happened, and went white-faced and silent. 

When she showed up finally five minutes past the bell ringing and stopped confused murmurs in the room, Ren couldn’t stop himself from letting out a sharp sigh of relief. She was there, but wide-eyed and shaking— and very quickly, her eyes locked on him. 

“Amamiya-kun, I need to speak with you for a moment. Everyone else, stay in your seats; we’ll be done in a moment.”

He pushed himself out of the seat and left Morgana behind in the desk as he and Ann cast him baffled looks. He ignored the other classmates’ stares as the teacher led him out into the hallway. She closed the door behind herself and met his eyes.

_ “What did you do?”  _ she hissed worriedly. Ren frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“The Takases— the people who were demanding apology money— they— they came to my door this morning!”

He gasped softly. “What did they want?”

“They apologized to me and said they’d stop demanding apology money! Moreover, they returned a portion of the last payment I gave them that they hadn’t spent yet!”

Ren’s eyes widened. “Holy shit... it _worked?”_ he whispered to himself. The teacher huffed.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled I no longer have to work as a maid, but— but what did you  _ do  _ to them?” She gasped. “Did you... _ possess  _ them?”

“No!” Ren winced. “No. I can’t even do that, by the way. I don’t have that power.”

“... You don’t?” She blinked at him. “I thought all ghosts could do that.”

Ren groaned. “Rub it in, why don’t you...”

She shrugged. “Sorry. Anyways...” She frowned. “You didn’t... hurt them, right? What did you mean by ‘it worked?’”

He stared at her, carefully considering his next words. Finally, he shook his head. “Not now. It’s a long story, but I promise that I didn’t hurt them and that I’ll explain everything at lunch.”

Kawakami gawked at him for a long moment before exhaling sharply and nodding her head. “Okay, but I’m holding you to that. Come on; let’s get back to class.”

Ren’s head still spun as they entered the classroom.

_ Desiree is real... _

* * *

At lunch, with several furtive looks outside and several paranoid checks to ensure the door was locked, Kawakami turned to the group of three boys who waited near the front. Ryuji sat on one of the desks, Mishima sat properly in one of the seats, and Ren remained standing, clutching his hands together. All looked down at the ground in absolute silence. Morgana kept watch on one of the tables near the door, and watched as she finally sighed and approached the boys, her hands on her hips.

“Okay,” she started, prompting them to look up warily, “let me give you the rundown of the conversation he and I had last night, and the resulting situation. Then Ren needs to explain what he did.”

Ryuji frowned. “Whaaat?” He laughed nervously. “What he did was just a trick of the lig—“

“I know he’s half ghost, Sakamoto.” she deadpanned. Ryuji blinked. 

“O— Oh.”

Kawakami and Ren shared a final look, and at last, they started explaining. The teacher started, and once she was done, Ren explained everything. It was with some hesitation, but he knew there was no further point in lying or hiding the truth. By the time he was done, all were gawking at him with wide eyes and gapes.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.” Ryuji sputtered first. “You’re tellin’ me that— that genie ghost you’ve been havin’ dreams about and been paranoid about—“

“She’s _real?!”  _ Morgana gasped. Ren nodded slowly.

“I’m positive.”

“He’s been complaining about her before?” Mishima questioned, stunned as he scowled. “And you guys didn’t believe him?”

“It sounded far-fetched, alright?!” Morgana protested. Kawakami took a shuddering breath and nodded.

“She’s real. It was like magic— well, was magic, I suppose. Or however it works, but...” She met Ren’s eyes. “They came to my door, apologizing like there was no tomorrow... crying and begging for forgiveness.” Her eyes softened. “You... you made that wish? For me? But... you could have wiped my memory. Could have resolved this in a much easier way for you, but...”

“It was the right thing to do.” Ren said plainly. Everyone stared at him for a long time, until finally, she laughed very softly and wiped her eyes. 

“I... don’t know what to say. Thank you.” She beamed at him. “You set me free.”

“Thanks go to Desiree,” Ren said with a shrug, “she did the spell. All I did is make the wish, and now I’ve got to keep up my end of the deal and get her a box of pocky.”

Kawakami shook her head. “Hang on.” She pulled out a wallet and extracted some coins and handed them to Ren, meeting his eyes. “Take this and get her the largest box of pocky you can find. Get her several. Multiple flavors aside from plain, too, if they have them.”

Ren smiled softly. “Oh, no, Miss Kawakami, I can’t acc—“

“It’s not for you, it’s for her. Take the money.” she snapped firmly. He sheepishly nodded as the boys shared a dumbfounded look. 

“Okay, wait, hang on,” Mishima sputtered, putting a hand to his forehead, “so... there’s a genie ghost that’s been bugging Ren in his dreams, for months, and is responsible for getting Kawakami out of... slavery, for lack of better words?” He looked up at Ren and blinked. “So... so what do we do now? About this... ghost?”

“We tell no one,” Kawakami snapped firmly, making the boy flinch, “telling anyone would get us all in deep trouble, as well as Desiree herself. I think we should consider her a friend, for now.”

The boys all shared a look. No one rose an objection. Ryuji sighed and shook her head. “Man, this is crazy...”

“No kidding.” Morgana agreed dryly. “I wonder why she’s been bugging Ren?”

“Boredom, maybe?” Mishima suggested. “She sounds like she’s grown fond of him. Maybe you’ve had a good influence on her, Ren.”

Kawakami smiled softly at Ren. “I’m sure he did. You’re something special, Ren. I’m proud to call you my student.” Her eyes hardened, and she scowled. The boys flinched. “Which is why I’m going to scold the three of you for your actions. What in the world were you three thinking, calling a maid service?!”

“Uhh...” The boys shared bewildered looks while Morgana nodded in agreement. Kawakami put her hands on her hips. 

“How did you think that was going to end?! Did you really think you were going to score with a maid?”

“No...” the boys muttered weakly, reddening. Kawakami scoffed and shook her head.

“I mean, really, I was the best case scenario. What if Ren’s powers weren’t seen by me? What if it was seen by another maid, who immediately ran to the media with it?”

“That’s assuming they’d believe her...” Ren muttered. Kawakami glared.

“Can it. This could have gone much, much worse— and while all of you should be ashamed, I’m especially disappointed in you, Mishima, Sakamoto.” The two flinched as she glared at them. “You both very well know that Ren doesn’t have perfect control of his powers. You were knowingly putting him in a situation where he could mess up in front of a stranger! While he should have known well enough to say no, you two should also feel bad for putting him in that situation!”

The two boys looked down guiltily. Ryuji sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he looked at Ren. “She— she’s right. That was shitty of us. I’m sorry.”

“We’re sorry.” Mishima agreed shamefully, wincing. Kawakami stared at the for a few moments longer before sighing and shaking her head.

“I hope you’ve all learned your lesson. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior next week on the social studies trip, and—“

“Oh, CRAP!” Ryuji hollered, eyes widening. 

“Shh!” the others hissed. Ryuji shook his head.

“I totally forgot about that!”

Ren silently agreed. He, too, had forgot— he had heard in class a few times over the last few weeks, but recent events had pushed it to the back of his mind. He had yet to pick a location for the trip, but it seemed fate had decided for him as Kawakami put a hand to his forehead and exhaled tiredly.

“Ugh... okay, the three of you are going to the TV studio trip. I’m supervising that one, and I want to keep an eye on the three of you. Especially you, Ren.” 

“Yes, ma’am...” Ren muttered shyly. Kawakami nodded.

“Good. That should do it for our talk. Stay on your best behavior from now on, and Ren, Morgana?”

“Yes, Kawakami-sensei?” Morgana piped up. Kawakami sighed.

“Come to me if either of you have any issues. We’ll work out a code so you can contact me whenever you need a distraction. I’ll give you my phone number; whenever you need help, just text the word ‘help.’ I’m on your side.”

Ren smiled softly. “Thanks, Kawakami-sensei.”

The woman waved her hand. “I’m just doing my job. As a teacher, I’m here for the both of you, and here to help accommodate... special needs. Which I’d say the two of you are.” 

She paused. For a moment, the woman glanced between Ren and the other boys. Finally, she raised an eyebrow. “So... how did they find out, and who else knows? I doubt they were supposed to find out.”

“Ann Takamaki, Haru Okumura, ourselves, Ren’s adoptive sister, and his roommate, Yusuke.” Morgana explained. Kawakami gave Ren a wholly unimpressed look as Ryuji laughed. 

“I was first. I saw him transform in a closet. Dumbass was trying to fight back a transformation because he hadn’t been doing that when he was supposed to.”

Mishima shrugged. “I spied on them and listened in when they didn’t notice.”

“When did this happen?”

Ren sighed. “For Ryuji, my second day of school. For Mishima, he told me he knew the Monday after Kamoshida got arrested.”

His teacher blinked. “Ohh... is that why you smelled funny on your second day of school?”

Ren blanched, and his nose wrinkled. “Excuse me, what?”

“Oh, yeah,” Ryuji laughed, “he did really strongly smell like ectoplasm that day, didn’t he?”

Ren reddened immensely and flinched. “You all noticed?! Why didn’t anyone tell me?!”

“I did.” Morgana deadpanned. Ren huffed.

“You don’t count, you’re a cat; cats have stronger senses of smell than humans.” He groaned and facepalmed.  “Ohhh my God, that’s embarrassing...”

Mishima coughed. “Uhh... would now be a bad time to tell you, then, that you pretty much always faintly smell like ectoplasm?”

“I—“ Ren groaned. “Oh, fuck me. Why don’t I notice?!”

Kawakami shrugged. “It’s not a bad odor, and everyone just assumed it was a byproduct of your accident. It’d be rude to comment on it.”

“We’ve all gone noseblind to it.” Ryuji agreed with a shrug. “If it makes you feel any better, she’s right— it’s not a bad smell. It’s just unique is all. Sort of like after it rains and... metal-y, sort of.”

“Plus, it’s not like you can help it.” Mishima agreed. “It’s very faint if you transform regularly like you’re supposed to.”

Kawakami sighed and patted Ren’s shoulder as the boy ducked his head. “Now, now... you’re fine. No one minds; besides, the coffee smell on you from living in a cafe sort of overwhelms it for the most part.” She turned to the boys and waved towards the door. “Alright, I’ll unlock the door. Go on and eat before the bell rings.”

As the boys got up and started heading towards the door, Ren stopped as he felt her hand on his shoulder again. He looked over to see Kawakami leaning toward his ear.

“I have a request for Desiree, if you don’t mind...”

* * *

Ren had ended up getting a jumbo sized package of plain pocky alongside a variety of different flavor boxes, which he piled on his worktable. Yusuke had almost pilfered one before Ren explained the situation to him and Futaba, who had been dumbfounded, but understanding.

“Do you think she’d let me paint her?” was all Yusuke had asked. Futaba just giggled.

“You could wish for it, you know...”

“No,” Ren groaned, “no abusing Desiree.”

Soon, he went to sleep, and as expected, Desiree made an appearance in his dreams, carrying the boxes of pocky in her arms with a wry smile.

“I must admit, you went above and beyond on the pocky.”

Ren shrugged. “Thank Kawakami. She gave me money when I told her the whole story and asked me to get you as much pocky as possible with it.”

“And you didn’t pocket any for yourself?” Ren shook his head, and Desiree sighed and smiled softly. “You continue to surprise and impress, young one. Thank you for holding up your end of the deal.” She sighed forlornly. “You’re the first person who ever has held up your end with me.” 

Ren’s eyes softened. “You don’t have to because this is completely your business, but... do you want to talk about it?”

Desiree stared at him for a long time in silence before nodding wordlessly. She floated beside him and opened a box of pocky, which she held out to Ren. He shook his head, and she frowned and shook it further. After a moment, Ren took a pocky stick and smiled sheepishly.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” she said, and she took out a stick of pocky. She stared at it for a moment before hesitantly biting into it. Her eyes widened, and she beamed.  “It’s delicious!” She giggled. “I made the right decision asking for this. I have never tried it, for ghosts like me don’t have to eat; ghosts like you— the ones who are alive— are lucky. What a delight!” 

“You have multiple flavors,” he said wryly, “I hope you enjoy them.”

Desiree smiled. “I do, don’t I? Thank you again.” After a pause, she looked away, her smile fading rapidly. A prolonged silence consumed them, and just as Ren was about to speak and ask if she was alright, she spoke.

“It was a long, long, long time ago— in the days of ancient Arabia. I was a harem girl for a sultan— one of his many concubines.” She shrugged. “I purposefully seduced him and jockeyed my way to his most favored concubine. At first, it was just me attempting to gain more control over my position and life, but at some point...” She hesitated and grit her teeth. Ren couldn’t see her eyes underneath her long hair. “Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought we were, not anymore. He promised me more than I could ever imagine— wealth, rare and exotic treasures, love, a kingdom, even. He even said he was going to make me his most powerful wife.”

Ren grimaced. “That... didn’t happen, I take it.”

Desiree scoffed. “No. I was foolish to believe him. His most powerful, foremost wife that he was married to only for political reasons— there was no love between them— decided I was a threat. She demanded he kick me out... and so he did. He didn’t even try to defend me or placate her.” Her voice cracked. “He didn’t even try to argue with her. Didn’t even speak to me. Didn’t look me in the eye. He just sent his guards to tell me to get out.” 

After taking a shuddering breath, she huffed. “The rest of my life isn’t anything worth talking about. I lived alone— I was considered ‘damaged goods’, so no man wanted to marry me... not that I ever let a man that close to me ever again. Eventually, I died. The end.”

Ren frowned sympathetically. “Wow... that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

Desiree scoffed. “You’re not even going to say ‘but not ALL men are like that?’”

“No.” He shook his head. “You have every reason to feel the way you do. I know me; I know I’m not like that, and I feel no need to defend myself.”

Desiree finally turned and stared at him for a long time, eyes wide and tired. He smiled weakly. 

“Thank you for trusting me. I won’t tell anyone your story. That’s your pain, not gossip.”

The ghost laughed, bright and sincere, and shook her head. “You’re a such good boy. It’s too late for me, but never let this world corrupt that heart of yours like I let it corrupt mine. I wanted people to suffer like I had suffered from my desires, but you’ve shown me there’s better ways.”

Ren shook his head. “You did a good thing for Kawakami. You’re not all evil and corrupt. There’s a good person in you, if you decide to follow that path.”

Desiree sighed and looked away. “I... I wish it was that easy.” She smiled at him one last time and kissed his forehead. The boy flinched in surprise at the contact. “I’m sorry I’ve been bothering you, Habibi; I’ll leave you alone from now on. You deserve better.”

The boy frowned. “Hey... you don’t have to be a stranger. If you ever need an ear, don’t hesitate.”

“You’re too sweet, but thank you.” She hesitated for a long moment and looked away. “L— Listen, be careful who you trust, alright? I don’t just mean that based off my own experiences... beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. And listen to your teacher, much as it pains me to admit— Fenton’s instincts are usually— but not always— right.” She waved. “It’s time for me to go; I have troubled you enough. Thank you for indulging my curiosity, Habibi.”

“Wait.” Ren piped up, rising. “Before you go, I have one last wish, if it’s alright with you...”

* * *

Kawakami was baffled as she found herself floating alone in a white space. To some extent, she was aware she was dreaming, and frowned to herself.

“This is a new one.” she remarked to herself. “But usually my stress dreams aren’t this vivid...”

“Kawakami-sensei.”

The woman whirled around to see a very familiar former student of hers, glowing and floating but smiling tearfully all the same. She gasped softly.

“Takase...?”

He nodded. “I’m told you wanted to see me... and I think we should have a talk.”

* * *

The next day at school, Kawakami seemed livelier. She reached class on time and no longer seemed exhausted, with a skip in her step. Ren’s heart swelled at the sight of her with such a different attitude.

“Amamiya-kun,” she said at the start of class, “can you speak with me for a moment?”

The boy just nodded and followed her out of the classroom. As they exited the room into the empty hallway, Kawakami beamed at him tearfully.

“Takase is at peace now,” she said brightly, “after we spoke for a long time. He forgave me and said he was ready to move on. Then he faded away.” She cocked her head at him. “Is... he okay?”

Ren smiled softly. “He is. There’s two types of ghost, Miss Kawakami. There are some that are just lifeforms that are composed of ectoplasm, and there are some that are the spirits of the deceased given physical form. From what I remember my parents telling me, the deceased ones linger until whatever is troubling them is put to rest— and then they move on. To where, we don’t know, but...” He smiled. “Regardless, he’s at peace now, if he faded away. Your talk freed him.”

Kawakami let out a breath of relief and smiled tearfully at him. “I don’t know how to thank you, Amamiya-kun. Or Desiree. From now on, I promise that no matter what, I’ll be in your corner.” She wiped her eyes and nodded at the door. “Come on. We better get back to class.”

They entered the classroom, and Ren ignored the curious stares from all save Mishima and Ann. Ann gave him a suspicious look, and Mishima just let out a sigh of relief smiled as he saw Ren smile.

“What was that about?” Ann whispered. Ren shrugged.

“Nothing important. She was just thanking me because I did some extra grading work for her the other night.”

Ann smiled softly. “Aww... that’s sweet of you. No wonder she looks so much less stressed.”

With that, Ann turned back to the front of the class. The cat in the desk looked up at Ren and grinned. 

“It worked.” he marveled in a whisper. Ren just nodded.

“That it did. Thank you, Desiree.”

Morgana sighed and tucked himself into the desk. “I suppose that ended well. Well, guess I’ll go back to sleep now.”

“The hell you will. Remember what Kawakami said?”

Morgana scoffed. “How’s she gonna know the difference?”

“Amamiya-kun, you... or a friend... aren’t dozing off over there, are you?” Kawakami questioned from the front of the class. Morgana groaned as Ren shook his head.

“No, Kawakami-sensei.”

The teacher smirked. “That’s what I thought.” She turned back to the board. “Now, as I was saying...”

Morgana groaned and kept his ears pricked. “Damn it... looks like my lazy days are over.” The cat swished his tail as he looked up at Ren. “Well, she’s on our side now. We better behave ourselves, especially on that field trip next week.”

Ren nodded again, but his mind began to wander towards the subject of the trip next week.

_ A TV station... wonder what that will be like. _


	26. The TV Studio

“… What’s this? ‘A request to the student body’…?”

The next day at school had several students peering over posters pinned to the bulletin boards curiously. Ren himself quirked an eyebrow as he passed through the halls, but chose instead to stand to the side and listen, head down.

“It says they’re looking for information. I heard Principal Kobayakawa put it up.” a surprised girl remarked.

“’Please consult the student body president if you have any details…” the first girl continued. A boy next to her scoffed.

“So we can go to her for anything…? Why the student body president, though? What does she have to do with Principal Kobayakawa?”

The second girl shrugged. “I mean, Niijima-san is his favorite. Maybe that’s why he asked her to do it.”

Ren finally walked away quietly, pondering on the contents of the poster.

* * *

Makoto found herself on the receiving end of baffled and suspicious stares the moment she stepped into the student council office.

“President,” a councilmember piped up as he frowned at her, “what’s the meaning of the poster?”

The president winced and grimaced. “Principal Kobayakawa put that up without my—"

“We’ve already received some anonymous information.” another councilmember piped up. “’I heard some students are getting threatened. I’m so scared… please do something.’”

Makoto blanched, and her eyes widened. “What…?!”

“’They have dirt on me, and they’re demanding money,’” the first councilmember elaborated, “’I can’t go to the police… What should I do?’ Isn’t this talking about the crimes rumored to be occurring in Shibuya?”

The other councilmember shuddered. “So there are victims even at our school… what should we do?”

The boy shook his head. “This isn’t the responsibility of the student council. This is frightening for us, too…” He frowned at Makoto. “Principal Kobayakawa called you into his office yesterday, right? Did he tell you anything about this?”

The girl shook her head and brushed a lock of hair back. “W- Well, no… he’s out today, but I’ll ask him tomorrow. Please wait on this for the time being…”

They gave her dubious looks, and the boy finally just hung his head and shrugged. “If you say so…”

Makoto sighed forlornly. “My apologies for the confusion… don’t worry. I’ll do something about all of this…”

* * *

The TV studio gave Ren a headache. It was bright, loud, crowded, and everything an introvert like him hated. Dozens of flashing lights from the studio stage irritated him, and the rambling of the tour guide PR woman of obvious facts only made him bored out of his mind.

“... And that’s why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows.” she said. “I’m sure you know about commercial breaks? Well, those are actually sponsor-related product placements. To sum things up, ratings are vitally important for a station’s production funding, and…”

“Huh…” Ryuji muttered-- apparently it wasn’t as obvious to him as it was to Ren. The halfa just yawned.

“So sleepy…” he muttered. Ryuji rolled his eyes.

“Seriously?”

Morgana slapped the back of Ren’s head with a paw. “Wakey wakey. Look alive, Ren.”

Ren yawned and stretched his arms. “I can only look half alive, though.”  
  
“Oh, so now you’re half dead?” Ryuji whispered, crossing his arms. Ren shrugged.

“Only when it’s convenient.”

In the back, he only halfheartedly paid attention to what the tour guide was saying. He caught enough to write his report for class later, enough to appease Ushimaru— blah blah media is very important blah blah social values blah blah how a tv station works. He outlined it in his head and yawned lazily.

“... For example, TV soap opera reruns are shown during the day, whereas alluring newswomen are broadcast by night. Thus, the scheduling department is where we decide what time we broadcast which program. I suppose you could say it’s the place where scheduling is determined.”

“Kill me.” Ren groaned. “All the way through this time…”

“Seriously.” Ann huffed from his other side. “Can this get any more obvious…?”

“So,” the PR tour guide continued, “the best parts are taken from the footage in order to cut the program to the desired length. The place where this filmed footage is edited would be the editing room.”

Morgana groaned and peeked out of the bag. “Hey, how much longer does this go?” he complained. Ryuji groaned.

“I swear I’m not gonna last…” he said with a yawn.

Ren was pushed from behind, bumping into Ryuji and causing Morgana to yelp as a newscaster in a tan suit shoved past him. The three glared at him from behind as he approached the tour guide.

“What’s going on?! I can’t stand all this noise!” 

Ryuji grit his teeth. “Hey, assho--”

“M-- My apologies!” the tour woman said, suddenly timid as she shrank back from the man. “I’ll have them leave right away!” She turned to the students and forced a smile. “Now, then, it’s time for a bit of hands-on experience!”

Students split into groups, leaving the trio and the cat standing as Ryuji glared after the news anchor. “Dammit! Who does that jerk he think he is?”

“Hey, there…”

They looked up to see an obnoxious director in a blue hoodie approaching Ann with a lustful grin that made their skin crawl. The girl took a step back as he spoke. “You wanna be on TV?”

“Huh?”

He laughed. “You’ve got a slammin’ bod, after all. Hehehe…”

Ann grimaced and stepped back. “Um… I’m on a school trip…”  
  
“She’s with us.” Ren agreed bluntly, glaring at the man, who didn’t even look over. The director offered a business card that Ann took hesitantly between two fingertips. 

“Just gimme a call if you’re interested. I’d greatly welcome a message from you, day or night.” 

Ann looked away. “Uh… yeah…”

“‘Greatly welcome’, my ass.” Ryuji growled. 

“Will you quiet down?!” Morgana snapped as Kawakami looked over. “You’re supposed to be acting like good students today!”

Kawakami cleared her throat, and the cat quickly tucked himself back in the bag as she approached with a stern look to the boys. “I understand you’re bored, but please don’t cause any trouble, okay?” Her voice dropped. “That goes for you, too, Morgana.”

The assistant director glanced over the group. “Well, then, um… let’s have you see what it’s like to be an AC. That’s ‘assistant camera.’ When we’re moving cameras, we need people who’ll keep the cables from tangling up… The blond will do. He seems like he’s got energy to spare, anyways. Guy next to him, you can come, too, if you’re feeling lonely. C’mon, hurry up and grab the cables!”

Ryuji grumbled and scratched his head. “Dammit… this sucks!”

* * *

Ryuji made no attempts to hide his distaste for the task, repeatedly calling it a pain in the ass as they worked. They fought valiantly against tangled cables for what felt like an eternity, 

Finally, around noon, they were turned loose and walking down the halls as they left the bathroom. Ryuji continued to growl and grumble all the way. Eventually, he stopped, and turned to Ren with a huff. “Ugh! I’m so pissed off! Aren’t we supposed to be guests?! Why the hell do we hafta be doing manual labor?! Goin’ to the bathroom didn’t even make me feel any better!”

“Quiet down, will you?”

The boys looked up as Ann rounded the corner, glaring at the two. As she approached, her eyes softened, and she sighed. “I understand how you feel, though… that sucked for both of us.”

“Show biz sucks.” Ren agreed dryly. 

Ryuji hung his head and groaned. “We gotta do more of this tomorrow too…?”

Morgana pulled himself from the bag and shook his head. “No slacking off, Ryuji.” 

The boy looked down at the ground and kicked it ruefully. “I know, I know… I gotta be a ‘good boy,’ right?”

Ann smiled softly. “On the bright side, we get to go home straight from here today. We don’t spend much time in this area, so why don’t we relax and check out some shops beforehand?”

Morgana perked up, eyes wide with excitement. “Ooh! I know a place! I wanna go to that huge pancake-looking place we passed on the way here! It looked delicious! What was that?!”

Ryuji’s eyes widened, and he scratched the side of his head. “Oh! You mean Dome Town? The round part is a baseball stadium, then along the outside they’ve got an amusement park.”

Ann nodded. “It’s right in the middle of a business area, but they have some pretty hardcore rides there, too.”

Morgana gave a determined nod. “Alright… let’s go! I’ll show you just how courageous I really am!”

Ann shook her head. “Going on a scary ride doesn’t really prove any sort of courage.”

Ryuji crossed his arms. “Not like cats can get on anyways.”

Morgana blinked. “Really…?”

The boy laughed and nodded, putting his hands on his hips. “Really. You might be able to sneak on some rides if you stay in the bag, but…” He snickered. “You’d totally puke if you did that.” Morgana gaped as Ryuji rolled a shoulder and beamed. “But, uh… let’s just go to Dome Town! I’m really feeling it now!”

“Me too!” Ann agreed. “My stomach’s ready for roller coasters!”

Morgana winced. “I… think I’ll pass on the puke rides.”

“Excuse me.” a new voice came. It was polite and pleasant. “I couldn’t help but notice your uniforms. Are you students of Shujin Academy?”

All three teens turned to the source of the voice while Morgana crawled back into the bag. Before them was a boy about their age, with curious reddish brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair. He was dressed primly, though he wore a brown peacoat that reminded Ren of a detective’s coat, and a metal briefcase with an ‘A’ on it hung from his right hand.

“Yeah,” Ryuji said bluntly, “whaddya want?”

The boy approached. “I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you. We’ll be filming together, after all.” He looked as Morgana began to peek over Ren’s shoulder, but upon seeing that he was caught, the cat quickly tucked himself back down. The boy laughed. “Oh, you have a cat with you! How cute! No need to hide it; I won’t turn you in. Just this once.” 

Morgana pulled back out of the bag and stared silently at him as the boy approached and stroked the cat’s head. Ren noticed Morgana didn’t seem to enjoy the stroking, but allowed it for some reason as he stared intensely at the boy.

“Ah,” the boy said, as if it had just dawned upon him, “where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi.”

“Akechi…?” Ann questioned, as if she was trying to remember the name. Ren silently agreed-- the name was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. Ryuji’s eyes widened.

“Filming? What, you a celebrity?”

The boy laughed and looked away. “Only to the extent of appearing on TV a few times.”

Ann wracked her brain before looking up, her eyes widening with recognition. “Oh…!”

Akechi didn’t seem to notice as he briefly checked his phone and apologetically frowned. “My apologies. I really was just passing through. I must be going. There’s a briefing for tomorrow’s recording that I have to attend.” He grinned. “So, you’re going to go have cake now? I missed lunch today, so I’m quite hungry myself.” He chuckled to himself as the other teens shared a baffled look.

“Huh? Cake…?” Ryuji questioned with a frown. “Wh-- what’re you talkin’ about?”

Akechi reddened and frowned. “Oh, was I mistaken? I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes…” He smiled. “No matter. Welp. See you tomorrow.”

With that, he turned around and walked away leaving the four to stare after him. Ryuji scoffed.

“That guy’s gotta be some sort of start up entertainer or something.” He grinned. “He’s never gonna get popular with that kinda hair, though.”

Ann rolled her eyes. “You don’t get it…” 

Morgana hummed nervously. The others turned to him with baffled frowns. “What’s wrong?” Ren questioned. The cat huffed.

“He smelled like ectoplasm.”

All three turned to the cat, wide-eyed. Ryuji blinked. “You sure that wasn’t just Ren or you? I noticed it, too, but I just assumed it was either of you.”

“Don’t doubt a cat’s nose.” Morgana snapped. “I know what I smelled.” He turned to Ren. “Ren, use your third eye on him tomorrow before we leave.”

“... Okay.” Ren agreed, though he sounded unconvinced. “I don’t know what we’d find, though. There’s only four halfas in the world because there have only been four portal accidents. I doubt Akechi is a halfa, too. That’s too improbable.”

“Doesn’t hurt to check.” Morgana protested. “Now, c’mon. Let’s head to Dome Town.”

The three teens shared baffled looks before shrugging and heading out.

* * *

The next day at the studio wasn’t any more fun than the previous day, and Ryuji and Ren winced as they took their seats. Ren placed his bag beneath the chair, and Morgana huffed as he peered out from beneath it.

The bright lights hurt Ren’s eyes as he saw numerous cameras around the room pointed at a gaudy, yellow and orange and green stage, with red seats before a stairway that led to a star-shaped door with dozens of shiny white light bulbs that shone. The stairway was lined with star-shaped arches, and gaudy star decorations flashed and shone across the stage.

“Mr. Akechi’s coming on!”

Two reporters, a man and a woman, waited patiently standing on the front of the stage. Girlish, excited screams arose alongside chattering as Akechi walked onto the stage with a relaxed smile. 

_“It’s Akechi-kun!”_

_“Oh, he’s so cool!”_

“Ain’t that the guy from yesterday?” Ryuji questioned. Ren nodded. 

“That’s him.”

The reporters and Akechi took their seats onstage opposite each other as a veteran direction spoke. “Coming back from commercial! Seven, six, five seconds until start, four, three, two, one…”

“And now, onto the ‘hottest meet-and-greet’ segment of our show!” the woman reporter spoke up. “After his last appearance was so popular, we decided to bring this fine young gentleman back to our show. It’s the high school detective, Goro Akechi!”

Akechi smiled and nodded. “Hello there.”

The other host smiled cheerfully. “Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun. Your popularity is stunning.”

Akechi put a hand to the side of his face, briefly. “Even I’ve found it to be quite a surprise. It is a bit embarrassing, though.”

“Moving along,” the woman reporter continued, “we’ve been told you’ve been working with authorities on a notorious ghost incident that occurred last month. Care to share with us, detective?”

“Ah, yes.” Akechi nodded. “You refer to the scandal over the ghost that was found in the master artist’s Madarame’s atelier by the so-called Phantom Thieves. I have had the fortune to partake in the case, and have even had the fortune of meeting Phantom-sama, albeit for a brief moment.”

Excited gasps and murmurs arose as the reporters’ eyes widened excitedly. “No kidding!” the man remarked. “What can you tell us about him?”

Akechi laughed. “Well, I need to respect his privacy, and this is mostly about the case at hand, but from what I could tell, he’s very kind and intelligent. He was nothing but gracious to me, and it was an honor to meet him. He handled the ghost end of it; I’m afraid I’m just a detective, not a ghost expert. I needed his and the ghost hunting bureau’s help for that end. From what I’ve been told, tests have revealed from ectoplasm levels in the wall that the ghost had taken up residence about ten years ago, and was hired to guard Madarame’s extensive forgery operation.”

The detective sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s about all we’ve found so far. The captured ghost has been exceedingly silent and refuses to talk or explain how and when it got there, or how Madarame managed to hire it-- and who he hired the ghost through, if he went through a middleman. It raises a lot more questions than answers: how did Madarame initially come into contact with it? How did it come to Tokyo that long ago when Japan didn’t have a functional portal until earlier this year? And finally, what was in it for the ghost?”

“Sounds like quite a case, Akechi-kun.” the male reporter remarked.

“It most certainly is.” Akechi agreed. “Unintentionally, Phantom-sama’s apprentices have opened up what is easily the most complex case I’ve ever encountered. It will take months to parse through everything, but rest assured, we’re on the case.”

Curious murmurs arose, and the woman reporter smiled. “We appreciate your and the authorities’ work on the case. We can all rest easy knowing you’ll do everything you can to crack the case. On a semi-related note, you met Phantom-sama. Did you happen to meet his apprentices as well?”

Akechi shook his head. “Ah, unfortunately, no. Phantom-sama had just grounded them for their indiscretion, so they’ve been banned from the case.” Ren’s eyes widened as Akechi spoke. “They are not involved in how it got here, though, or the mental shutdowns; they alibi out. They arrived through the new portal that opened in March-- much, much sooner than the other ghost’s arrival or the beginning of the mental shutdowns.”

“So what are your thoughts on them?”

The detective smiled wryly. “I haven't had the fortune of meeting them myself, but my sensei of sorts is in constant contact with them. Her observations-- which I agree with from what I've seen-- is that they're good and mean well, but they're still immature." At the crowd's murmurs, he held his hands up. "I mean no offense to them. Phantom-sama was the exact same way-- if not more so-- when he made his first appearance. I appreciate how cooperative they have been, but I also believe that they're still quite young and reckless. The two unintentionally put others at risk-- though to their credit, they did very well in minimizing collateral damage by luring the ghost to the beach-- and took quite a thrashing themselves in the resulting fight.”

“In the future, they can serve Tokyo well, but for now, they should remain on the sidelines, for everyone's safety-- especially their own." He cleared his throat. "Again, to make it clear, I do not dislike them or disapprove of their being here, and I must say that they appear to be more mature than Phantom-sama at his first appearance, but they need to stand aside for now. They could do much more harm than good at the moment."

“How interesting! Thank you for your thoughts, Akechi-kun.” The woman reporter remarked, then stood up. “Why don’t we get an opinion from the audience?” She walked forward, towards Ren, who flinched. He swore Akechi was smirking on-stage as the woman approached him and held the microphone to her lips. “Would you like to share your opinion of the case today?”

Ren hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, and spoke into the microphone as she lowered it to him.. "I agree with the vast majority of what you said-- this isn’t going to be an easy case," he started, "but I respectfully disagree on the level of maturity and readiness of the Phantom Thieves. Furthermore, I don’t believe it to be as mysterious as it seems as to how it got here-- natural portals are a regular occurence, and while they are uncommon, it could have entered through one that lasted more than a few moments. That being said, I couldn’t tell you how it got into contact with Madarame."

Akechi raised an eyebrow as the crowd murmured. "Ah, a ghost expert, I see. That’s not a bad suggestion.”

Ren reddened and shook his head. “Oh, no, not an expert. Just someone who used to know people who were into ectology. Picked some things up is all.”

The detective smiled. “I see… I appreciate the input. The bureau scientists suggested something similar, but until tested, that can’t be confirmed. It’s a good hypothesis, though. With that aside, would you care to elaborate on why you disagree with me about the Phantom Thieves?"

Ren nodded. "I believe their situational awareness and efforts to minimize damage itself proves that they're not so immature after all. Their aid and efforts shouldn't be discounted so readily."

Akechi smiled. "You raise a good point, but wouldn't you say that their foray into Madarame's atelier in the first place was ill-advised?"

"They had warrants, didn't they?"

A smirk slowly slid onto Akechi's face. Ren didn't like it. "Is that a fact? Let's say that's the case. Shouldn't they have waited for their sensei to join them? Don't you think that was rather impulsive of them?"

Ren thought carefully before responding. He could practically feel Morgana bristling. "Perhaps," he finally admitted, "but I believe they're learned their lesson the hard way. Because of all of that, allowing them to assist could be the very thing needed to teach them how to be the heroes Tokyo could use-- they can't learn anything if they stay on the sidelines forever. How did _ you _ learn _ your _ trade, Akechi-kun? Through books alone?"

Akechi's smirk faded into a more genuine smile. "Not a bad point. I overall still stand by my position, but perhaps they could observe and assist in cases, if not directly intervene. Thank you for your input; you were a good sport to answer my questions."

"Thank you." Ren replied coolly, and as the woman with the microphone walked away, Ren let out a sharp exhale and slouched in his seat. The students around him snickered at the response; Ann just smiled weakly and patted Ren's head as she reached over to him.

Soon enough, the show came to an end, and they gathered off to the side, where Ren had finally regained his composure. Ryuji was scowling. “‘Not ready,’ my ass!” he snapped. “That ghost wouldn’t have even been found if it wasn’t for you t… I mean the Phantom Thieves!”

“Calm down, Ryuji,” Morgana urged from Ren’s shoulder, “he didn’t raise terrible points, but I feel that Ren countered him well. We’ll prove ourselves by our actions, too.”

Ryuji sighed and shrugged. “Alright. I’m gonna go take a leak. Can you guys wait here? I’ll be right back.”

He ran off, and Ann watched after him, unimpressed. She shook her head. “Oh my God… I’m gonna keep going, okay?”

With that, she walked off, leaving Ren and Morgana by themselves, waiting for Ryuji.

“Oh, it’s you…!”

Ren’s head snapped up at the voice as he saw Akechi approaching him from the stage with a smile. 

“I’m glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without thesis and antithesis. Few people around me are as willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier.” Akechi grinned. “That’s nothing less than what I would expect from the son of the former foremost ghost experts in Japan.”

Ren recoiled back. “Wha-- how did you know that!?”

Akechi shrugged. “I follow the news, Amamiya-kun, and I’m acquainted with Sae-san-- she handled your legal case.” He nodded. “Let’s exchange numbers. I’d love to speak with you again… you may not believe yourself to be an expert, but I can tell you’re highly intelligent and would be a good sounding board. Our discussions could be quite fruitful.”

The halfa blinked. “Oh. Um. Sure.”

They quickly exchanged numbers, and Akechi nodded. “Thank you. I feel this will be a mutually beneficial relationship.” He patted him on the shoulder as he passed. “You and I are much more alike than you know-- more than either of us are like anyone else here.” He winked. “Perhaps soon you’ll understand what I mean… very soon.”

With that, he began to walk away. Morgana pulled himself out of the bag in a hurry. “Quick! Use your third eye on him!” he snapped. Ren focused, and while the world around him faded to gray, he could see the retreating form of Akechi light up in red, as any lifeform he was tracking would.

Except for a large, glowing green core he could see shining like a beacon from the young man’s chest.

“Hey, I’m back.”

Ren jerked back into reality as he heard Ryuji’s voice, and the boy approaching him quirked an eyebrow. “What’s with the face?” He grinned. “You look like you… just saw a ghost.”

Ryuji laughed, but at Ren’s silence, his laughter died off as Morgana gasped. “I knew it!” 

“Knew what?” Ryuji questioned bluntly. Ren groaned and ran a hand over his face.

“What. The. Fuck.” he breathed. “Oh, Fenton-sama has so much explaining to do…”

* * *

The end of the school day had passed half an hour ago, but Makoto continued to read through the notes. Too many students had contacted her, begging for help in the anonymous information box, all with the same issue-- I’m being extorted and can’t go to the police.

After what felt like an eternity, Makoto pushed aside the letters and pulled her notebook on Ren Amamiya and her phone from her pocket. She skimmed through the notebook, then her phone, and finally, she took a deep breath and nodded to herself.

“It’s time… I can’t let this go on any longer.” She looked down at the papers and nodded. “Forgive me, Amamiya-kun… but tomorrow, it’s time to come clean.”


	27. Crow

_ **Ren:** Why didn’t anyone tell me Akechi is a halfa?_

_ **Danny:** How did you find out about that? _

_ **Ren:** TV Studio field trip + third eye on him after Morgana said he smelled like ectoplasm. _

_ **Danny:** Oh, geez. Okay. We were going to tell you eventually; this is sooner than anticipated. _

_ **Danny:** Akechi is a tightly kept secret. I didn’t have the authority to tell you. _

_ **Danny:** I’ll have him contact you soon so he can explain. _

_ **Danny:** Word of advice... Akechi is fond of his mentor. It’s blinding him. Remember that. _

_ **Ren:** Who’s his mentor? _

_ **Danny:** You’ll hear soon enough. _

* * *

“Why does he have to be so vague?” Morgana whined in a whisper from the bag. Ren huffed irritably and shook his head. 

“Shh. We’re on a train. People are around.”

Even as Morgana grumbled, Ren couldn’t help but agree that the whole situation was frustrating. He and Morgana stewed in silence, wholly unsure of what to expect next. Akechi hadn’t texted him or even shown any indication of their next meeting, leaving Ren to imagine a dozen different scenarios.

The one scenario he didn’t imagine was walking into Leblanc and immediately seeing Akechi sitting at the counter, sipping from a cup of coffee with a calm smile.

Sojiro stood opposite of him on the other side of the counter, arms crossed, and looked up as the bell above the door jingled.

“Ah,” he greeted, “you’re back.” He turned to Akechi. “You have a visitor.”

Akechi set down the cup and turned to smile wryly at Ren and Morgana, both of whom stared at him in stunned silence. “Welcome home.” he greeted. Ren blinked, then shrugged.

“Honey, I’m home.” he replied with a brief smirk. He cocked his head. “How did you get here so fast?”

Akechi gave him a deadpan look. “You’re smart. Take a guess.” He cleared his throat and turned to Sojiro. “Thank you for the coffee, Sakura-san. It was delicious.”

“Don’t mention it.” Sojiro nodded at his wards. “Yusuke isn’t home yet. This guy said he wanted to talk to you two privately upstairs.”

“Indeed.” Akechi agreed as he stood up, the stool beneath him scraping against the floor. He smiled. “Lead the way.”

Though somewhat dumbfounded, Ren nodded and headed to the stairs. Akechi followed after him, briefcase in hand. As they reached the top floor, Akechi set down his briefcase and examined the room.

“It’s nice up here. Spacious.” He cleared his throat and smiled. “But that’s not why I’m here. You know why I’m here.”

“You’re a halfa.” Morgana said bluntly, pulling himself out of Ren’s bag. Akechi didn’t flinch; he just nodded slowly.

“That’s correct... and so are you two.” He walked across the room and approached the window. He looked out of it for a moment before nodding and turning back to the two; hands behind his back.

His body flashed, briefly blinding the two. When the light faded a split second later, a ghost boy with dark red hair and golden eyes donning a white outfit with red trim and golden frills Ren could only describe best as a reminding him of a Nutcracker’s uniform was staring at him calmly.

“Come,” he beckoned, his voice echoing softly as was typical of a ghost, “fly with me, Joker; just call me Crow.”

* * *

Akechi led them to a quiet place above the edge of the city limits, high enough for them to peer over the massive city. It was a cacophony of skyscrapers, brightly colored lights, and vehicles zooming in and out, and overall, a beautiful sight. The sun was just beginning to set, casting the city into twilight.

“I like to come here, sometimes,” Akechi said calmly, “it’s a beautiful sight, especially at night. Of course, in spite of its beauty, there is darkness and danger and evil that must be rooted out. It is a never-ending process, but it gives us purpose.”

“It is beautiful,” Ren agreed hesitantly, “and a lot different than the town I came from.”

Akechi laughed. “Yes, I would imagine little Inaba seems like a rural village, compared to this.” He beamed at the two. “I was excited to hear about you two, you know. For three years, now, I’ve been the lone teenage halfa in the world. The adults could give me guidance, yes, but I never had peers who could understand like you do.” 

“Why wait until now to tell us, then? If you were so excited?” Ren questioned. The other boy sighed and frowned.

“You have to understand, I’m very cautious about who knows my secret. I have dreams, and a career that could all be ruined if my state of being as a halfa was revealed to the wrong person. I had to wait and make sure you didn’t run your mouth.” He scoffed. “Truth be told, with your history in the last few months, I was hesitant about this meeting, but I knew it had to come sooner or later.”

Ren winced. “They were all accidents...”

“If you say so.” Crow said with an eye roll. “Though I’ve been one for several years now, and only accidentally exposed myself once— to Sae-san. You, on the other hand...”

Morgana blinked. “Niijima-san found out by accident?”

Akechi nodded and sighed, closing his eyes briefly. “Yes. I was new to my powers at the time and she had just been assigned to me as my mentor— I’ve always had an interest in criminal investigation, and the bureau aided me by placing me in an apprenticeship. I’m told they did something similar for Fenton-sama with NASA.” He grinned. “Did you ever wonder why she was assigned to your parents’ case, Ren-kun, and you two overall? She had already been aware of the existence of half ghosts for several years. It worked out.”

Ren and Morgana shared a look, then turned back to him.

“So you’re the only one they didn’t tell us about?” Morgana questioned. Crow nodded.

“Yes. It’s me, Daniel Fenton, Masters, Danielle Fenton, and now, you two. No one else, to my knowledge.” He sighed and crossed his arms. “Please don’t fault the bureau, or your mentor. Again, this was my request, but when I saw you at the studio, I knew there was no further point in hiding.”

A silence fell. Ren frowned. “So... you know what happened to us. How did you become a half ghost?”

Akechi hummed to himself and shrugged, looking away. “It wasn’t an accident, if that’s what you’re wondering, but it wasn’t my decision.” He sighed heavily. “I’m an orphan. My mother is dead, and my father is a good-for-nothing monster who abandoned my mother. I was raised in an orphanage from a young age, and yes, I promise this has something to do with my story.” 

At their silence, he continued. “One day, when I was walking home from school, I was abducted. It was very sudden: I was cutting through an alleyway I frequently passed through to get back to the orphanage when someone threw a bag over my head and restrained me. I was silenced by threats of death.”

“You were 15 at the time?” Ren questioned. Akechi shook his head.

“14. Almost 15.” he replied, voice cracking a bit. “My captor took me over an hour away to a secret lab. I never saw their face or heard their real voice— masks and voice modulators.” 

Crow scratched the back of his neck. “Anyways, they had been conducting experiments to see what influences and causes survival in portal blasts, in attempts to perfect and ensure survival so they could grant themselves with ghost powers. Said they believed half ghosts were the superior state of being and wanted to perfect the transformation process.” He scowled. “Whoever they are, they’re a monster beyond description. They had already experimented on countless animals and abducted homeless people in their zeal, people they thought wouldn’t be missed; successful victims were killed shortly after their transformation to cover their tracks. Finally, they abducted me in one of their tests.”

“What was this formula you’re talking about?” Morgana questioned. Akechi shrugged.

“The bureau would understand their notes better than me, but from what I understand, those who survive portal blasts tend to be young— under about 40 years old, or in the animal subjects, below the average midpoint of their lifespan. The notes said most of the experiment victims past that age perished in the portal blast, though the reason for that was unclear. Survivors also supposedly have what’s called the ‘potential’— who are naturally sensitive to ectoplasm and maybe even drawn to it.” 

Akechi shrugged. “I suspect it has something to do with how people react to ectoplasm. Some are instinctively afraid of it, others are neutral, and some are even intrigued and drawn by it— your friends might even be an example of that. As it turns out, the person who did this to me had been lining the walls of the alley with ectoplasm to see who it would draw in— a suitable victim for their experiment.”

“And that was you.” Ren guessed. The other boy nodded.

“I was at the perfect age, an orphan, meaning no parents to desperately search for me, and had the ‘potential,’ making me a prime target. I had wondered for awhile why no one bothered using that alleyway as a convenient shortcut; never did I imagine it would be for such a reason.” He crossed his arms and looked down at the city. “I was thrust into the portal. It turned on, and I was reborn a half ghost.” He shivered. “It... was an unpleasant experience.”

“Understatement.” Ren deadpanned. Akechi laughed and nodded.

“Quite so. You know what it was like; I don’t need to go into further detail. The rest was a blur— I was knocked unconscious and woke up later in the care of the bureau. Apparently they forgot to close the portal in their excitement, which drew the attention of ghosts who rescued me and called for help.” He scowled. “The perpetrator hasn’t been caught. All they found in the crime scene afterwards was a destroyed portal and a burnt-down lab to cover their tracks. They found some of their notes intact, but it was little to go off of. Even so, he had some interesting discoveries they’ve cataloged.” 

“‘He?’” Ren questioned, raising a brow. Akechi paused, then shrugged.

“Forgive me. I meant ‘they.’ The details of the perpetrator aren’t known, after all.” He turned and flashed a tired smile. “I was promptly trained by Mr. Masters, the other experienced half ghost. Fenton objected, and wanted to teach me, but the bureau shut him down— at the time, he was in his last year of his PhD program and just about to get married. Too busy.” 

“Our teacher has mentioned Masters,” Morgana said with a wince as he crossed his arms, “but never anything good. He hates him.”

Akechi exhaled sharply. “Understandably. Mr. Masters does not deny that he has done bad things, but I believe he has turned over a new leaf. He knows Fenton will never forgive him, and he’s accepted that.” The boy scowled defensively. “It’s possible for people to change— Masters-sensei is no exception. He treats me as his own son, and he’s the closest thing I have to a father. He’s been nothing but supportive and repentant.”

There was a long pause. Akechi uncrossed his arms and turned to Ren with a tired smile. “Well, that’s my story. It hasn’t been easy, but I have embraced what I am. My powers provide an edge no other detective has— and I hope that soon, you’ll embrace this as a wonderful gift, not a curse. I know you both are still in training, but should you need advice, I’d be happy to help. My Sensei would be willing to help, too, if you ever need it.”

Ren forced a smile. “I... appreciate that.” He looked down at the city and back to Akechi. “Shall we head back? I still have to write a report for class that’s due tomorrow.”

“Ah, we have been talking for awhile, haven’t we?” Akechi beamed. “Yes, let’s return. I’m eager to try the curry at the cafe before I return to my apartment...”

* * *

Upon reaching his room, they found Yusuke was already in the attic and painting as they entered the room. Though both were invisible, the sound of whooshing made the artist pause.

“Welcome home.” he greeted without looking up. The three landed and turned visible, and Akechi merely smiled wryly as Yusuke finally looked over. The artist’s eyes trailed over him briefly before he met his eyes.

“I don’t suppose you were made a half ghost in a way other than a portal blast?” At the shake of Akechi’s head, Yusuke let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know what I expected.”

Morgana snickered. “The bureau turned down your request again to be a test dummy for the portal opening next month, didn’t they?”

Yusuke turned away again and sighed heavily, hanging his head. “... I don’t want to talk about it.”

Akechi looked between the artist and Ren for a moment before blinking and clearing his throat. 

“I... apologize for disappointing you?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Ren reassured as he transformed back to normal. “Let’s go eat.”

* * *

The next day at school was calm. Ren didn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary was going to occur. Soon, the last bell rung, and everyone was free for the day. He was arranging his bag and allowing Morgana to get comfortably settled in it when a voice called for him.

“Amamiya-kun?”

Ren looked up and turned around to see a resigned-looking Kawakami.

“Yes, Kawakami-sensei?”

“Niijima-san wants to see you in the student council office.”

Ren felt his heart flutter. “Did she say what she wanted?” he stammered. Morgana scoffed.

“Don’t get your hopes up, lover boy.”

The boy reddened and shook his bag, causing the cat to yowl. Kawakami rolled her eyes.

“She didn’t say. Just that she wanted to speak with you privately; be careful what you say to her, alright?” She sighed as she began walking away. “Why ask me to do this?” she muttered, and off she went. Ren immediately began heading for the door when Morgana popped out of the bag and pawed his head.

“Whoa, whoa, hold on,” he said worriedly, “we should talk about this first. Remember to consider your words carefully before you do anything, Ren. Think with your mind, not your heart!”

“I know!” Ren huffed as he continued heading out, sliding the door open. “I’m not an idiot.”

“... Debatable.” he thought he heard Morgana muted as he ducked back into the bag. Ren shrugged it off and headed upstairs and to the student council room. Inside, Makoto alone was waiting, leaning back against a table in the center of the room, her hands held together in front of her. A carefully neutral expression was on her face as she stood up straight at Ren’s approach.

“Ah, earlier than expected.” She glanced at the door to ensure it was closed, then turned back to Ren. “Thank you for coming. Please have a seat.”

Ren obeyed and sat down, placing his bag on an adjacent chair while Makoto seated herself opposite him. She looked briefly conflicted as Ren cleared his throat.

“Something wrong, Niijima-senpai?”

The girl nodded. “As a matter of fact, yes... and it’s something I’m hoping you can help me with.” 

Ren smiled proudly. “I’d be happy to help with anything you need, Niijima-senpai.”

“Good. I’m happy to hear that.” She leveled her eyes with him. “Because I need Joker’s help.”

The boy flinched. He felt his heart drop as he stared at her. She stared right back. After a moment, he awkwardly cleared his throat. “I... I don’t—“

“I’ll cut to the chase, Amamiya-kun, Morgana-kun,” she said firmly, “I know who and what you both are. Half ghosts. Joker and Mona respectively.”

Ren whitened and Morgana hissed from inside the bag. At Ren’s pallor, she shrugged. “I have no intention of exposing you. However, Principal Kobayakawa has been having me spy on you for the last month and a half; I have plenty of notes and videos of your little group meetings. There’s no point in hiding from me. In return for me not going to Kobayakawa, I have a favor to ask.”

The boy’s mouth opened and closed helplessly. Morgana winced. “We screwed up...!” he hissed, barely audible. Ren was frozen, and finally, Makoto sighed and put her phone on the table.

“Don’t believe me? Have a listen.”

Her phone began to play back audio of several conversations he and his friends had had about his powers and plans. At the same time, she put down her open notebook on the table. Carefully organized notes detailed everything— his appearance, the timeline of Suzui’s rescue, Yusuke’s addition to the team, the injuries he had sustained in the same places as Joker... 

“How long?” Ren finally croaked out. Makoto shrugged.

“Since you two saved Suzui. I thought it was painfully obvious, and my sister had previously asked me if I had seen you do anything odd.” She sighed and frowned. “I understand this is a really sensitive subject, and I’m sorry to put you in this position, but I’m at my wit’s end.”

Ren stared at her for awhile, swallowed hard, and exhaled sharply. “So what is it you need help with?”

“I need your help taking down a mob boss.” she said bluntly. Ren’s eyes widened as she continued. “Several students at the school are coming to us, terrified, because they’re being held hostage by the mafia. Blackmailed. Even worse, the police have no leads on who is pulling the strings on this operation. Humans alone have failed— it’s clear that another approach is needed.” 

Morgana pulled himself out of the bag and huffed. “You take your commitment as student council president seriously.” he remarked. Makoto jumped at the cat’s speech and stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before clearing her throat and nodding.

“T—That’s right.” she confirmed. “It's my duty to help my fellow students, no matter how desperate the situation. If you two agree to help me, I’ll go to my sister and reveal what the principal has been having me do. He’ll be arrested, a thorn will be out of your side, and you’ll be able to count me as an ally. What do you say?”

Ren was about to open his mouth when his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and winced—_ Fenton-sensei._

“Go ahead,” Makoto said wryly, “answer it.”

With a breath, Ren answered the phone. “Sensei?”

_“Heeey, Ren,”_ Danny greeted, _“are you alright? You’re running late, and all your friends decided they want to come with to practice today to see you and Morgana practice duplication.”_

Ren winced as Makoto giggled. He sighed. "Y-- Yes, sir. I'm fine. I'll be there soon."

As he hung up, Makoto shook her head. "Excellent timing. I'm sorry to make you run late."

The boy huffed and met her eyes. "I'll agree to help," he said, "but I want you to come with me and speak to Phantom-sama. I want Kobayakawa out of here as soon as possible. In exchange, I will do everything in my power-- even if they forbid me from doing so-- to solve this case."

The girl was silent for a moment, contemplating, until finally, she nodded. "You have a deal."

She stuck out her hand. Their eyes met, and with minimal pause, Ren took her hand and shook it.

* * *

"... Oh."

"What? Do you see him?"

Ryuji glanced up as Yusuke peered down the hall of the access way the group waited in. They all had been patiently waiting for what felt like forever for Ren and Morgana to arrive, and all perked up at Yusuke's peering. He pulled back and turned to the others.  
  
"Do you know that girl with him?"

Haru blinked. "Um... what girl wi--"

Ren appeared out of the crowd with Makoto in tow, a nervous smile on his face as she followed him. Ryuji immediately rose to his feet and gawped as Ann glared at her and took a step forward. Futaba scurried behind Yusuke.

"What is_ she_ doing here?" Ann demanded.

Danny blinked at Makoto, his arms crossed. "This a friend of yours, Ren?"

Makoto smiled. "You could say that." She bowed deeply and rose up. "The pleasure is mine... Phantom-sama."

The man jerked back and glared at Ren. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded. Makoto held a hand up.

"Please don't be mad at him. This wasn't his fault... allow me to explain."

She pulled out her notes and her phone, and delved into the story. When she was done, all were gaping at her in a mix of shock, fear, and a touch of anger, save for Ren, Morgana, and Danny. Danny stared, hard, at her for what felt like a long time.

Finally, the man cleared his throat. "Well. You've certainly done your homework, Niijima-san. You do realize I have to take you to talk to the bureau now before you and Ren can commence on your plan, don't you? Plus, now I need to arrange for that principal's arrest."

"I understand, and wholly expected this."

"Well, then..." Danny turned to the others. "You're dismissed for today. Looks like Niijima-san and I have some business to attend to."

There were grumbles and stink-eyes from Ryuji, Ann, and Haru cast at Makoto, who stiffened her shoulders and met their gazes evenly. Ren winced and turned to his teacher. "They're not going to hurt her or anything, right?"

"Good God, no. They didn't hurt Mishima." Danny shrugged. "Considering she's Sae-san's sister... this shouldn't take as long as last time. She'll get off easy, but there's protocols to follow." He turned to the girl. "Let's get going."

Makoto turned to Ren, who was frowning guiltily, but she just smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Amamiya-kun. I'll be fine... and you have a promise to me."

Ren sighed softly and smiled back. "I do. Take care, Niijima-senpai."

"'Makoto' is fine, Ren-kun." She waved. "Farewell."

With that, Fenton took her away, and the kids were left standing, watching as they walked away. Ann let out a huff and crossed her arms. "I can't believe Niijima has been sticking her nose in our business for so long... such a busybody."

"She's turning on the principal right now." Morgana snapped, popping out of the bag. "That's not an empty gesture."

Ryuji grumbled. "Yeah, but still... I'm not lookin' forward to her bossin' us around..."

Futaba shivered. "She's intense..."

Haru cleared her throat. "Let's give her a chance," she spoke up, "not just for her sake..." She side-eyed Ren and giggled. "But for his sake."

Ren turned beet red as his friends snickered.

* * *

Makoto sat in the barren interrogation room, arms crossed, as she waited in absolute silence. Part of it scared her as her heart beat out of her chest, but the girl was determined to hide it under a veneer of sheer guts and determination.

She felt her will waver instantly, however, as her older sister entered the room, eyes hard and exhausted. The girl flinched, but immediately crossed her arms again and gripped her arms as Sae stared her down.

"Makoto." 

"Sis."

Sae let out an exasperated sigh. "You know you should have just come to me in the first place and skipped the spying step."

"I know."  
  
"Do you regret it?"  
  
"Not a bit."

The woman exhaled through her teeth. "Do you intend to tell anyone?"

"No."

Silence fell between the two for several more moments. After the pause, something flashed over Sae's face-- a quick smile that rapidly faded, but a smile nonetheless. Makoto blinked as Sae took a seat opposite of her.

"Very well. Late is better than never." She cleared her throat. "Well, Kobayakawa is being handled. Thank you for finally telling us; I know you wanted that letter of recommendation, but you did the right thing. For now, you and I have a lot we need to discuss..."

Her sister nodded, once.

"I'm ready, Sis."


	28. Truce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't my favorite chapter. Really, this whole arc isn't my favorite, but I need to finish it before I get to the next arc that I really want to get into.

With Makoto in the hands of the authorities for the time being, the group nervously dispersed for the day after Yusuke had taken off abruptly after checking his phone. The girls left, Morgana headed home, and Ren accompanied Ryuji to the gym.

It was approaching dusk as he arrived home, with the bell of Leblanc announcing his arrival. Sojiro looked oddly concerned as he looked up at Ren.

“You’re back.” he said, quieter than usual. “You should head upstairs. Yusuke’s up there and he’s not willing to talk to me about whatever is bothering him.”

Ren nodded. “I’m on it.”

True to Sojiro’s word, Yusuke was in the attic and sitting cross-legged on his futon, staring at a canvas in his hands. Morgana sat at his side, purring softly. Something about Yusuke’s blank expression chilled Ren as the artist looked up.

“Ah. Welcome home.”

“Hey. What are you looking at?”

Yusuke turned the canvas around and revealed the at last returned Sayuri. Ren gasped. “Oh, you got it back?”

“At long last, yes.” the boy agreed as he turned it back around in his hands to continue staring at it. Ren smiled weakly. 

“Aren’t you happy to have it back?”

Yusuke nodded and looked up. “I’m thrilled.”

“Then why do you look so down?”

After a moment’s hesitation and another moment staring at the painting, Yusuke sighed and stood up, placing it on his canvas stand. He turned to Ren, hands at his sides as his eyes looked exhausted.

“Madarame is dead.”

Ren blinked. It took several seconds for the words to sink in, and when he could speak, he could only utter a weak “oh.” Yusuke just nodded.

“Apparently he died of a heart attack in his sleep while in custody. They haven’t told the news yet; they’re still deciding how and when to best break the news to the public without it being turned into a media circus.”

“If they can prevent that at all...” Morgana remarked dryly. “The media is going to be all over this.”

Ren pursed his lips for a moment. “I know your relationship with him was... complicated, but how are you feeling now?”

Yusuke shrugged and fixed Ren with tired eyes. “Empty. I feel neither joy nor sadness... I am... numb.” 

“You feel dead inside.” Morgana surmised. Yusuke shrugged.

“I suppose so, yes. Now... all I can do is hope Madarame’s spirit moves on swiftly.” Yusuke nodded to himself. “Well... at least I have this painting back. I have you two to thank for that; I think I’ll have Boss hang it from the wall on the lower floor of the cafe. He expressed incredulity, saying it seemed too simple a place for it, but I think it’s what my mother would have wanted.” He cracked a small smile. “A piece of art to brighten one’s day, if even for a moment.”

Ren smiled softly. “I think that’d be wonderful, Yusuke.” 

The boy nodded and carefully set the painting on its stand. “I’ll have to get it properly framed.” He turned to Ren. “Have you heard anything yet about Makoto?”

“No. Probably too soon to hear back. I just spent my time out with Ryuji at the gym.” Ren scoffed. “He said I needed a distraction. Apparently I’m visibly tense.”

“You are.” Morgana said bluntly. “Even before Yusuke told you Madarame died. Did something happen?”

Ren shrugged. “Well... we met one of Ryuji’s old senpais. Heard from him that apparently the track team at Shujin is reforming, but under a teacher that was essentially Kamoshida’s lapdog. Ryuji seemed upset about it, so I’ll be helping him look into that.”

Morgana scoffed. “He should forget about the track team! They deserve having that new coach. The team was rotten to him; this is simply karma at its finest.”

Ren shook his head. “You know Ryuji. If he’s dead-set, then so am I.”

Yusuke laughed. “This is why the two of you are the best of friends. You both care so much for others who may not even care for you... as I did at first. But it was for the best.” He nodded toward the stairs. “Come. Let’s go eat; we’ll all feel a little better.”

* * *

Makoto couldn’t say she was thrilled about the arrangements made, but at the very least, they were made. Made and ready to tell the others the following day as they embarked on their first official mission.

It was dark by the time she and Sae returned to their apartment. Both had been silent on the way back; they had already spoken for hours at length. Their positions were made clear. Makoto couldn’t shake the feeling that Sae was highly anxious, however, the whole way home.

Moments after arriving home, Makoto was barely done putting her belongings from her school bag back into their proper places when Sae came into her room with wide eyes. With little fanfare or chance for Makoto to question what was wrong, Sae spoke.

“Principal Kobayakawa is dead.”

Makoto stared at her sister, wide eyed and jaw loose as Sae continued. “He was found unresponsive in his apartment and pronounced dead at the scene. They’re not sure of the cause of death yet, but they’ll likely announce the death tomorrow at your school.” 

The younger sister was silent for a moment before speaking.

“Oh.”

Sae sighed and shrugged. “Well... he’s out of the way. He won’t interfere with the investigation. I can’t say I’m mourning him, considering the trouble he put you through, but he could have provided us with information as to why he was having you spy in the first place.”

Makoto shrugged. “He gave me a reason that I told you at the police station, but we both know it was a very poor lie.”

“Very.” Sae huffed and crossed her arms. “Well, we’ll look into that on our end.” She gripped her arms and winced. “I can’t believe Akechi thinks this is a good idea... you’ll be careful, won’t you?” 

“I will.” Makoto promised. She laughed. “Oh, they’re going to be having opinions over the situation when I tell them.”

* * *

The principal was dead, and it was all anyone in school talked about. Just like that, he was gone. Few mourned his death at the school, but waves of shock were felt nevertheless. 

Makoto ended up texting Ren the cause of death as soon as Sae told her— a massive heart attack had swiftly ended his life. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a lot like Madarame’s abrupt death, but kept it to himself as he decided it was probably just a coincidence. Madarame was old and probably weakened by the shock of being put in jail, and well, heart attacks weren’t an uncommon way for stressed people to go. It didn’t feel right, but he had no other explanation.

The chaos surrounding the principal’s death, however, enabled the team to resume meeting on the roof, and some measure of privacy as few paid attention to them. 

It was there at lunch did Makoto unveil the plan.

“Akechi has been given the reins to investigate the situation in Shibuya,” she explained, “and thanks to some urging on Fenton-sama’s behalf, we’ve been assigned to assist him. Apparently Ren’s argument at the TV studio turned some heads.”

“What?!” Ryuji groaned. “We have to listen to Akechi?! This sucks!”

“Be grateful you’re allowed into this investigation at all.” a stern voice came. Ryuji nearly jumped out of his skin as he flipped around to see Akechi appear out of thin air, and he scowled.

“Gah! Don’t sneak up on us like that!”

Ann, too, had jumped back, and she gawked at the detective. “What are you doing here?! Don’t you have school, too, Akechi-kun?”

“I can fly very quickly,” Akechi dismissed with a shrug, “I’ll be back in time. But yes— I’m permitting you all to be involved in the investigation, within reason. Fenton-sama was swayed by Ren’s arguments at the television station, and feels it’d be a good learning experience. So!” The boy put his hands on his hips. “Our first order of business is learning the name of our enemy. We know someone is pulling the strings in Shibuya and enslaving these youths, but we don’t have a name. Secondly, we need to investigate how, precisely, these youths are being used. Probably to move drugs.” 

“Is there anyone who might know the name of our enemy?” Ren questioned. Akechi nodded.

“As a matter of fact, yes. There’s an investigative journalist by the name of Ichiko Ohya who was looking into the case.” He passed a small piece of paper to Ren. “This is her number. Contact her and ask to meet.” Akechi turned to Makoto, who was gaping at him with wide eyes. He paused. “Something wrong, Niijima-san?” 

The girl shook her head and reddened, forcing her mouth shut. “O— Oh. Uh, no. No, I’m fine. My apologies.”

Akechi quirked an eyebrow, then laughed softly. “Didn’t your sister tell you I’m a half ghost, too?”

Makoto reddened further. “I mean, she did, I just— I’m just getting used to having people like you pop up out of thin air like that.”

Akechi snorted. “Ha! Sae-san was the exact same way... for almost a month. Niijimas are natural skeptics, so it’s only natural that the supernatural throw you off at first. Anyways, do you know the names of any of the students in particular who are involved in this?”

Makoto sighed and shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. The complaints have been anonymous.” 

Ren’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket to see a text from Futaba.

_**Futaba:** Ask the normie who runs the phansite if he heard about anyone involved._

Ren snorted, drawing baffled looks. He shook his head and smiled in spite of himself. 

“Sorry. I just got told to go ask Mishima if he knows anyone. Futaba called him a ‘normie.’”

Ryuji winced. “Aww, that’s uncalled for. He ain’t a bad guy.”

Morgana snickered. “He is a normie, though. He looks like the NPCs in the RPGs Ren and Futaba play.”

Akechi scoffed and rolled his eyes. “He’s not a, quote unquote, ‘normie’ by what we have on him. He was the first person to spy and infer their true identities. Talk to him. See if he knows anyone.” The boy pulled his phone from his pocket and huffed. “I must be going. You have your assignments; we shall meet again tomorrow.”

With that, he vanished. Ann and Haru flinched, and Ryuji scowled. Makoto just sighed heavily as the turned to the others. “I’m sorry I brought you all into this mess. Really, I am. But—“

“Don’t try to act like you’re sorry,” Ann snapped, balling her hands into frustrated fists, “you were probably just hoping to have Kobayakawa off your back.”

Makoto scowled. “That’s not true.” The girl’s shoulders deflated, and she hung her head. “... But you have every right to say that.”

Ann blinked, and everyone shared baffled looks. Haru frowned. “What do you mean, Niijima-san?”

The girl shook her head. “I didn’t do enough or pay attention enough to Kamoshida or anything else happening because I was too busy just doing what the adults told me to do. If I had been paying more attention... well.” She hung her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t step up earlier. I failed my fellow students by just following orders, and I deserve that criticism.”

Ann gaped at her. Her fists unclenched. “Niijima-san...” She paused and crossed her arms. “So why change your mind now?”

Makoto turned to Ren, who straightened his back as she looked at him. “They did, believe it or not. I thought about all they had done, regardless of the consequences, in the cases of Kamoshida and Madarame. In a far shorter timespan than how long I’ve been here, he and Morgana have done far more than I have for others. Even when being punished and threatened with injury and exposure, even when he’s been ostracized by the others students, all to help others—“ She bowed her head to him as he went red as a beet. “I owe it to everyone to try harder, like he has. I can’t just stand by anymore.”

Morgana gasped. “I had no idea we had that much of an influence on you.”

Makoto picked herself up and smiled. “People look up to heroes. It’s only natural.”

Ren laughed softly and scratched the back of his neck. “Oh, I don’t know about ‘hero’, not compared to Phantom-sama, but... we try.”

Makoto shook her head and approached him. “Amamiya-kun... you both use your powers for good. That’s enough to warrant the title. I think you and Morgana have a wonderful gift, and Shujin Academy is lucky to have you two... whether they realize it or not.”

The boy stammered and beamed, while Morgana puffed his chest out proudly. “T- Thank you...”

Makoto turned to the others and bowed her head briefly. “I want to be a part of this team, so... truce?”

The group shared looks. Ann stared at the girl silently, conflicting emotions on her face for a long moment. Finally, she swallowed hard and nodded, sticking her hand out. Makoto took it, and Ann nodded. “Truce. For now.”

“Truce.” Haru agreed as she smiled warmly and put her hand out, too. Ryuji shrugged. 

“Well, if the others are in... then I am, too.” 

With that, he put his hand out, and Ren followed immediately after with a warm smile at Makoto.

“I’m glad you’ve joined us... Makoto.” The name was stammered a bit as it came out, but Makoto nevertheless smiled right back just as warmly.

“I’m glad, too, Ren-kun.” 

The rooftop door creaked open, and immediately, Ren jerked back and yelped. As he turned on his heel to the door, he saw Mishima, phone in hand, standing in the doorway with a brief, surprised grimace with quickly turned into a small smile as though he was trying not to laugh.

“What’s with that face?” he questioned indignantly. Makoto cleared her throat from her side, and he turned to see she was staring at him, wide eyed and a bit bewildered. The others just snickered as she spoke.

“Um... Amamiya-kun... you’re a bit... difficult to see right now...”

Ren’s eyes widened, and he groaned. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

“Yup.” Ryuji said bluntly. Ren just sighed, focused, and quickly returned to visibility. At Mishima’s giggling, he groaned.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Maybe if you’d stop turning invisible when you’re startled,” Mishima said dryly, “I thought you got better at that over the last month.”

“He did.” Morgana said wryly, giggling. “He’s just a bit... flustered, right now. It didn’t help.”

“Flustered by what?” 

“Nothing!” Ren dismissed quickly, ignoring Makoto’s baffled stare and the others’ snickering. He cleared his throat and put his hands on his hips. “Anyways, what’s up?”

Mishima held up his phone and shrugged. “Someone calling themselves ‘Alibaba’ said you need help?”

Haru blinked. “Wow... Futaba-chan sure works fast.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Ren dismissed. “Anyways, yes, Mishima. Let me explain... there’s a lot of work ahead of us.”


	29. Being Free

Mishima had, in fact, been able to point the team towards a possible victim of the blackmail scheme— Ilda, who had recently been spending money liberally while seeming constantly plagued with intense anxiety at the same time. Coincidentally, the boy was part of Ren, Mishima, and Ann’s class, though he was one of the many that shied away from Ren and gave him a wide berth. 

Thus, it fell upon Makoto and Haru to get him to talk. With some help from Kawakami, the teacher sent the very jumpy boy in the direction of the student council office. It was there that Makoto and Haru sat opposite of the shaking boy. 

“Ilda-san,” Makoto began calmly, “we’re aware that you’re in some trouble.”

“No I’m not.” he quickly dismissed. The student council president steepled her fingers.

“I assure you that everything shared with us will be in the highest confidence. We’re conducting this investigation on behalf of all the students being held captive like yourself.”

“There’s nothing you can do to help me,” Ilda spat defensively, “no one can help me.”

“Not even Phantom-sama?” Haru demurred calmly. The boy froze and blinked.

“What are you talking about?”

Makoto sighed and crossed her arms. “As an act of good faith, we’ll tell you a secret we hope you’ll keep to yourself... it’ll be in your own interests, as well as everyone else’s. My older sister is a prosecutor who has requested Phantom-sama’s assistance because the situation has grown so much that I have received dozens of anonymous requests for help.” 

“This is a highly private investigation as a result,” Haru added, clasping her hands together, “most of the police department doesn’t even know about it. If you want to do something about your situation... this is your chance. Phantom-sama himself is offering his protection and assistance.”

The boy gawked at them as if they had grown second heads, and shook his head. “B— Bullshit. Why would he have you two interrogate me, then?”

“You’re just going to have to take our word for it. We don’t benefit by lying to you.” Makoto agreed. As the boy hesitated further, Haru let out a sigh and began rifling through her wallet. She pulled out a number of bills, counted them, and held them out to Ilda. 

“350,000 yen,” she said, calm as ever, “it’s all yours if you give us information and promise not to tell anyone about this conversation.”

Ilda gaped at her, and so did Makoto. “Haru,” she stammered, “where in the world did you get that much money?”

Haru smiled coyly at her. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Mako-chan.” She turned to the still-stunned boy. “Well?”

The boy’s mouth opened and closed a few times. He hung his head, contemplating the matter and gritting his teeth. Finally, he looked back up at them and nodded slowly.

“Fine,” he said slowly and hesitantly as he took the money— or tried, anyways. Haru pulled it away and shook her head.

“I’ll give you 150,000¥ up front. The rest you’ll get if you give us information.”

The boy grumbled, but nodded as he took the 150,000¥. “Fine,” he continued, “here’s what’s going on, but I warn you... you should stay away from it.”

* * *

“I hope those girls ‘re making progress,” Ryuji sighed, “‘cause you know we’d suck balls at getting anyone to talk.”

Ren sighed right back and nodded. “I know what you mean.”

The two of them plus Ann and Morgana sat in the courtyard of the school, not far from the vending machines, as they waited for Makoto and Haru to finish up so they could meet up and discuss the situation. Ren still noted how the group was avoided like the plague; he had grown somewhat used to the wary looks and people inching away from him, but it was only more apparent as they sat and waited. Several times did students pass by, no doubt headed for the vending machines, only to turn on their heel at the sight of the group and leave. 

Much as he hated to admit it to himself, it still stung, but he didn’t comment. Ann huffed from her spot leaning against the round table in the center, her arms crossed. “Let’s hope they’re done soon.”

The boys nodded, and a silence fell again for several moments only to be punctuated by a cry. Ryuji immediately shot up and turned to the source of the sound— in the far part of the courtyard where he and Ren had practiced running, he could see and hear several members of the track team ganging up on Nakaoka.

Ryuji leaped into action, sprinting up to the group and ignoring the protests of Ann. Ren followed closely behind, and watched as Ryuji came to a stop just by the group.

“Takeishi? The hell you guys doing?” Ryuji demanded.

Takeishi turned and glared at him. “We just have a few questions for Nakaoka here. It’s none of your business.”

Ryuji glared right back. “So, what, you’re going to ask him with your fists? Anyways, ain’t three-on-one kinda cowardly?”

The other boy shook his head. “The only coward here is Nakaoka! All the shit Kamoshida put us through is his fault… he was telling that bastard secrets about us the whole time!”

He shook his head. “What?! That’s a load of bull!”

“You guys should trust Nakaoka.” Ren agreed. Ryuji nodded.

“That’s right! You’ve been trainin’ together for freaking forever! Plus, ain’t the track team comin’ back? You don’t gotta fight!”

“Sh-- shut up!” Takeishi snapped back. “I’m telling you, this piece of shit sold us out! How do you think Kamoshida found out about your parents, Sakamoto?!”

Ryuji and Ren’s eyes widened as another track member nodded. “He’s gotta be a snitch!”

“H- Hold up!” Ryuji protested as he moved, putting himself between Nakaoka and Takeishi. Ren followed, standing at his side. Takeishi scowled.

“Get outta the way, both of you! We’ll beat the shit out of you, too, if we have to.”

Ryuji stood up straight, hands at his side. “If you think that’s gonna make you feel better… go for it. But you’re gonna wish you didn’t. Trust me, it feels real bad lookin’ back on the shitty stuff you’ve done. Just leave Ren out of this.”

“... Huh?” one of the track members said bluntly, baffled.

“... Look.” Ryuji continued. “Even if he was workin’ with Kamoshida… ain’t it fine now? The bastard’s gone, so you can just put this crap behind you. There’s no reason to fight, yeah?”

Takeishi huffed. “We can’t keep around people who’re gonna try and undermine the team.”

“But…” Nakaoka finally spoke up, face reddened and eyes desperate. “I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t working with Kamoshida. No matter how many times you hit me, my answer is gonna be the same.”

Takeishi scoffed. “Oh, yeah? We got proof. Yamauchi told us all about it.”

Ryuji’s eyes widened. “Yamauchi…?”

One of the track members glanced about the courtyard and spied Ann, Morgana, Haru, and Makoto staring at them. He huffed. “C’mon, Takeishi, we gotta get out of here. It’d be real bad if more people showed up.”

Takeishi huffed, and leveled a final glare at Nakaoka, who was fighting back tears. “... Nakaoka. Shit like you isn’t welcome on our track team. You better remember that.”

With that, they stormed off. Ryuji and Ren let out a sigh of relief and turned to Nakaoka. “You okay?” Ryuji asked gently. “What the hell was all that?”

Nakaoka shook his head and glared at him. “Just stay out of this, Sakamoto. It has nothing to do with you.”

“But…”

The boy shook his head. “When you hit Kamoshida, you were really hitting all of us who were trying to endure his bullshit. You might’ve felt relieved, but it only made life harder for all of us. ‘Cause of you, we lost the one place we could really belong… where we could vent our frustrations. Tensions have gotten pretty high after that… and it’s been rough ever since.”

Ren rolled his eyes. “What makes you think Kamoshida was going to keep the track team around much longer anyways, regardless?”

Nakaoka blinked at him. “Huh?”

He shook his head. “He had your coach fired for no good reason and tried to work you all into the ground. Not to mention, it makes no sense to disband an entire team because of one member’s actions. If it wasn’t Ryuji, he would have found another excuse.” He scowled. “Ryuji was just a convenient scapegoat… and you all took the bait.”

Ryuji stared at Ren for a moment, eyes widened. “Ren…”

Nakaoka grit his teeth. “S-- Shut up, freak… you guys really think it’s all okay, now? What if I told you they were right about me…? Would you still think it’s fine if I was the one who told Kamoshida about your parents, Sakamoto?”

Ryuji was quiet a moment, sighed, crossed his arms, and nodded. “... Yeah. If you told him, you told him. I’m over all that. Besides… I’ve learned something. Even if I did mess up with Kamoshida back then, I can’t let it weigh me down. Hangin’ onto the past isn’t helping anyone. I’m just gonna focus on myself, now… on bein’ free.”

“... What’re you talking about?” Nakaoka shook his head. “Free, huh… hah."

With that, he finally walked off. Ryuji turned to Ren, his eyes softening. “Thanks for standing with me, man… and for what you said back there.”

“I meant it.” Ren reaffirmed. 

Ryuji smiled softly. “... You get what I was tryin’ to say, right?”

Ren nodded. “... Yeah. More or less.”

“Right?” Ryuji paused. “Wait, whaddya mean ‘more or less’? You’re s’pposed to know…” He beamed. “I guess bein’ free is like… it’s like how I feel when I’m talkin’ to you, Ren.”

Ren cocked his head to the side. “I don’t get it.”

Ryuji frowned. “Uh… I don’t know how else to explain it. I just feel… free.”

A wry smile came on Ren’s face. “¿Que?”

The other boy snorted and shoved his shoulder playfully. “You’re such an asshole.”

"No, you."

The boys broke down into snorting laughter, only stopped when they heard Ann's voice.

“Hey,” her voice rang, stopping them short, “are you two done yet?”

Ryuji and Ren shared a wry smile. “We should probably get back to it, huh?” Ryuji questioned. Ren nodded.

“Yeah. C’mon.”

They returned to the others, hopping over the fence and stopping only to give a furtive look around to ensure no one was listening. The leader took out his phone and called Yusuke and Futaba, putting them on speakerphone. 

“Here.” Yusuke said on the phone.

“Here.” Futaba echoed. Ren nodded. 

“Okay,” he started, “what did you learn?”

“It’s drugs.” Makoto said bluntly. “The students are being blackmailed after moving drugs.”

The group winced. Haru nodded.  “From what we discovered, the victims are being approached and asked to deliver packages into lockers for easy pay. What they don’t know is that the packages are illicit drugs— they are filmed in the act and subsequently blackmailed. They have to keep paying the criminals to keep them from sending the information to the police.”

“Can’t they just explain to the cops that they didn’t know what was in it?” Ann questioned. “I mean... they’re just kids...”

Morgana huffed from his spot at the table. “Assuming they could without getting in trouble with the police, they’d then be in trouble with the yakuza. They’re trapped.”

Ryuji grit his teeth. “God... what kinda sick fuck does that to kids?”

“Monsters don’t distinguish between old or young,” Yusuke piped up bitterly, “they only see prey.”

There was an annoyed grunt from Futaba. “It’d help if I had a name. Hard to doxx an enemy you know nothing about...”

“Futaba, don’t doxx this time,” Ren scolded, “these guys are way more dangerous than Kamoshida. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

The girl huffed. “You underestimate the power of Alibaba.” she protested. Makoto crossed her arms.

“No, Ren is right. For all our sakes, we need to proceed cautiously.” She sighed and crossed her arms. “Now we’ll have to wait until we hear back from Ohya-san. I’ll make a progress report and submit it to my sister; let’s adjourn for the day.” 

Shared looks and nods came. Ryuji patted Ren’s arm as they began to disperse, stopping him short.

“Let’s hang around a little longer today and see what we can learn about Yamauchi. Please. I don’t trust him one bit...”

Morgana hoisted himself up onto Ren’s shoulder and smiled. “What are we waiting for?” He giggled. “What better spies are there than ghosts?”

Ryuji nodded and looked around himself cautiously. Ren followed suit, and once they were sure they were alone, the boys nodded at each other. Ryuji reached out and grasped Ren’s arm, and upon contact, the boy shifted readily into invisibility and intangibility. His friend shivered at the sensation, but Ren could imagine the look of determination on his face as his disembodied and determined voice came.

“Let’s go pay him a visit... we need to know what he’s planning.”

Morgana huffed. “I don’t know why you care about them still.”

“They were my team, once,” Ryuji replied quickly, firmly, “and I can’t let ‘em down. Never again.”


	30. Investigations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: probably wildly inaccurate depiction of how tarot cards work because I have no idea how tarot card reading supposedly works.

A modicum of spying had fortuitously revealed that Yamauchi and another teacher were going to a monja shop in Tsukishima, a part of the massive city that Ren was unfamiliar with. Ryuji was more than happy to give directions, while Morgana headed home for the day.

Thus the two flew invisibly over the city, Ryuji in Ren’s arms. The blond looked down over the city as they went and whistled. “Man, the wind in your hair, the view from the sky... you’re lucky, man, I’d kill to fly like you do.”

The halfa snorted. “You know that if you somehow got ghost powers that you’d constantly be challenging me to races.”

“Goddamn right I would.” Ryuji leaned forward a bit and cleared his throat. Though neither could see him do so, he pointed downward. “Alright, this is the place. I got the phone.”

“‘Kay. Let’s hope we hear something worthwhile.” With that, he began his descent. Ren held on a little tighter to his passenger, but Ryuji didn’t seem afraid in the slightest.

“So the guy with him has shit on me, too,” Ryuji explained as they approached, “you remember the plan?”

A nod followed, though neither could see each other. The two phased into the restaurant undetected; Ren let Ryuji out of his arms while still keeping a hand on him, maintaining their subterfuge. Ren found himself distracted by the smell of monjayaki cooking on tabletops, concentrated, by the small size of the shop. He heard the sizzling of food cooking, and his stomach was growling when Ryuji tapped his shoulder. “Over there-- I see em. We can eat after we’re done.” he whispered. Ren nodded and floated toward the two men in question as Ryuji readied the phone to record.

He was a gray-haired man with bags under his eyes, and his friend was a nondescript dark haired man. They smiled at each other and reeked of booze. The one whose back was facing the trio laughed. “You can sure hold your liquor, Yamauchi.” he praised. Yamauchi shrugged, his arms crossed.

“Mm, I’ve had some experience. Back in my college days, we’d rent a yacht for the weekend and have massive parties.”

Ren bit back a scoff.

“I must say, though... the sake’s been tasting particularly sweet lately.”

The other teacher nodded. “No surprise there. Things have been calmer without Kamoshida. Those were some real dark times for Shujin, though, huh?” He beamed. “But now that he’s gone, you finally get the chance you deserve, Yamauchi!”

“Ha, don’t flatter me. He had his strengths, sure, but our volleyball team will be forever scarred. The only real option now is to abandon it completely.”

Ryuji bristled, but kept his mouth shut.

“There has to be a way to bring Shujin back into the limelight, though. That’s where I come in.”

“You mean with the track team, right?”

Ren bit back a gasp. Yamauchi nodded. “The students who went under so much hardship under Kamoshida rise with a caring new advisor... it’ll be a rebirth of a team that found themselves in the depths of despair. The public will love it. Despite my lack of track and field knowledge, I’ll form a tight bond with the students.” He giggled. “I’ll be the protagonist of my very own tear-jerker... and of course all the praise for reviving them will go to me, their incredible, loving advisor. I’ll have to hire a great coach to pull this off, though.”

Ryuji scarcely bit back a scoff.

The other teacher leaned forward. “So you’re gonna pretend to coach them while someone else does all the legwork? You’re amazing!”

Yamauchi nodded. “Such stunning achievements will look great when its time for bonuses to come out... and will leave a good impression for whoever replaces Kobayakawa. The school has an excess of funds from the government due to the presence of that weird kid. With such stunning achievements, a significant portion of those funds should go to me.” 

Ren grit his teeth and Ryuji clenched his fists as the man continued. “But I’m not gonna stop there. I’ll publish books, give motivational speeches...”

“What about those troublemakers on the team, though?” the other teacher pointed out. “I’ve heard that Nakaoka kid is especially bad.”

“Nakaoka...? Oh, you mean the one who asked them to bring back the pre-Kamoshida coach.” He smirked. “Don’t worry; I already have him handled. There’s this other boy on the team, Takeishi— doesn’t excel much at anything— well! I said I would make him the new team captain if he could get rid of Nakaoka. I might have mentioned that he was working with Kamoshida... subtly, of course. He won’t know that it’s a lie.”

“Son of a bitch.” Ryuji muttered. 

“Shh!” Ren hissed. The teachers glanced about curiously.

“Did you hear something?” Yamauchi questioned, frowning. The other teacher shrugged, and after a moment, Yamauchi shrugged as well. “Anyways, it’s great because Takeishi’s parents are loaded, and his mother is the head of the PTA...”

“So he’d be a great pawn.” the other man surmised. “Brilliant, Yamauchi!”

Yamauchi waved his hand dismissively. “Perhaps, but a nothing like him could never captain a successful, championship-winning team.” He smirked and snickered. “Perhaps one day he’ll have an accident at practice...”

Ryuji hissed, but Ren shoved a hand over his mouth. The blond didn’t fight back, but Ren could feel him shaking with rage.

“But until then, he can show the others the merits of obedience.”

The other teacher giggled. “You’re incredible, Yamauchi.”

With that, the men stood and left. Ren escorted Ryuji outside, to a quiet alleyway, where Ren finally dropped the intangibility and invisibility. The boy panted, hit with a wave of exhaustion as he stumbled. Ryuji yelped and caught him just as he transformed back to human form.

“You okay?!” Ryuji questioned frantically, all rage having abandoned him for a moment. Ren panted and nodded as he pulled himself away from Ryuji.

“Yeah... sorry. Not used to floating and staying both invisible and intangible for that long.”

“Sorry to do that to you, man,” Ryuji apologized with a wince, “didn’t mean to, but...”

“We had to find out what Yamauchi was up to. And we did.” Ren looked up at him from where he leaned over, grasping his knees and panting. “Did you get all of that?”

“I did.” Ryuji held up his phone and scowled. “That son of a bitch! If we don’t do something soon, Yamauchi is gonna take out Takeishi too... god damn it!”

“Let’s take what we got to the track team tomorrow.” Ren urged. Ryuji nodded.

“Damn right we will.”

There was a pause as Ryuji looked down, then back up at Ren. “Y’know, track ain’t a team sport. Well, sprintin’ wasn’t.” At Ren’s quizzical expression, he shrugged and ran a hand over his nose briefly. “You’ve got teammates, yeah, but you’re really just lookin’ out for your own time. That’s why I never thought about askin’ anyone for help us solve our problems together.” He sighed and tucked his hands in his pockets. “But... I can’t ignore what they’re goin’ through right now. I mean, even though we had our own goals ‘n shit, we were still looking out for each other.”

“Until they needed a scapegoat.” Ren muttered. Ryuji huffed.

“Can it. They suffered with me, grit their teeth with me... honestly, I think it was only ‘cause of them I was able to run. So I can’t turn my back on them now.” He smiled coyly. “I know that ain’t the coolest thing to say, but that’s how I feel.”

“I think it’s cool, Ryuji.” Ren said softly with a smile. Ryuji’s eyes widened.

“Wait, for real? Thanks, man!” He nodded along. “C’mon, lets get some monja. I’m starving, and you must be, too.”

As the two started walking, Ryuji began looking down, frowning as if in thought. He remained silent as they went into the restaurant and were seated, and as soon as the waiter was gone, Ren frowned. “Ryuji?”

Ryuji snapped himself out of his reverie and sheepishly looked up. “Sorry. Just... thinking.”

“What about?”

Ryuji hesitated and scratched the back of his neck. An inscrutable expression was on his face as he cleared his throat.

“... I was just thinking that...” He sighed. “.. That I wi— uh... uh... desire... to be... like you,” he said quietly as he looked at Ren with admiring eyes, “so I could be your teammate and fly with you ‘n’ stuff.”

Ren’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “No! No, you don’t. It’s— it’s not easy.”

Ryuji frowned. “I mean it, though! I don’t care if it’s not easy— I wanna be a teammate to you like they were to me! I know you’re still havin’ trouble with the fact you’re different, so maybe havin’ another person around that’s like you— ‘sides Akechi— would make you feel more comfortable.”

Ren shook his head again and sighed. “God, you and Yusuke... well, I wouldn’t want you to be one just for my sake. It’s a massive life change, and it’s really hard. I don’t want you to suffer.”

Ryuji snorted. “Shit, dude, I’ve already suffered. And it ain’t just for you!” He laughed. “Flyin’, man... it’s amazing! It’s so cool! Wouldn’t have to rely on my bad leg so much.” He paused. His eyes lit up with hope. “Say, do you think if I asked to go in the portal next mo—“

“Nope,” he dismissed, “Yusuke’s already tried asking. Twice.”

The blond groaned. “Goddamn it.” He paused and rolled his shoulders. “Well, you never know. It could happen one day. Maybe if I join Yusuke they’ll change their minds?”

Ren grimaced. “They won’t, but even if they did... do you remember me telling you about how painful it was? For extra context, Fenton-sensei said Mr. Masters got a kidney stone once and said that it was preferable to his accident— and he was only blasted in the face. Try whole body.”

“Does Masters even count?” Ryuji scoffed. “That guy was in the hospital for years; of course he’d say that. I ain’t doubting you or Morgana, but I’d be willing to chance it.”

Ren was about to retort when he felt his phone buzz. He paused and pulled it from his pocket, and after glancing at the screen, his brows lifted.

“What is it?”

“Ohya-san responded— and she wants to meet tonight.”

* * *

Shinjuku was the destination of the place Ohya wanted to meet, in a bar called Crossroads. It was one of many venues up and down the neon-lit streets that had Ren pause as he took it all in. The red light district was hustling and bustling with so many people, a sight he was just finally getting used to. He had persuaded (with some effort) Ryuji to go home for the night instead of accompanying him, but now he was wishing he brought him along for morale support. Morgana had volunteered to tag along, though, and remained in his bag.

The air reeked of cigarette smoke and human body odor and was filled with a cacophony of voices and vendors barking at the passerby. In the crowd, he spied several alert-looking cops killing about, and smiled to himself as he flew over undetected. 

He passed over the stand of a blonde fortune teller woman with a small table and tarot cards, who curiously looked up in the air where he flew. He dismissed it as coincidence or her looking at something else as he ducked into an alleyway near his destination and transformed. The young man slipped out and to the entrance of the bar.

As he creaked the door open, he took in the place. It was a dark bar only had two women at the counter that evening: a calm, large woman in a fanciful yukata, no doubt the bar owner. She stared down at a markedly drunk woman with a pair of sunglasses perched on her forehead and a camera dangling from her neck who was laughing about something.

The arrival of the boy drew the larger woman’s attention as she stared at him, sizing them up. “How old are you?” she asked, with a deep, husky voice. Ren stammered for a minute before he cleared his throat and spoke.

“Uh, I’m not here to drink. I’m looking for a woman named Ohya-san; she asked to meet here?”

The drunken woman laughed brightly and sat up, beaming at him. “That’s me!” she greeted, overly cheerfully. The barkeep sighed and shook her head.

“A woman your age, picking up a teenage boy...”

Ren reddened. “Wait, hang on,” he protested, “that’s not what—“

“It’s fiiine, Lala-chan,” Ohya slurred, “he’s a student from a local high school who I’m interviewing for a story! Harmless.”

“... You’re interviewing him here?” Lala questioned bluntly. Ohya nodded, and Lala sighed heavily as she turned to him. “Go sit in a booth in the back with her and I’ll bring you some water; as soon as you’re done, head home. This isn’t a nice part of town for a young man like yourself.”

Ren nodded and proceeded to follow Ohya to a booth. As they sat down, he could hear Morgana groaning from his bag.

“Ugh, she reeks of booze...” the cat grumbled. He wasn’t wrong; a distinct odor of stale alcohol rose from the woman. Ren ignored him as he sat up straight as Lala came, carrying water— including for Ohya, who pouted.

“Aww, Lala...”

“Drink your water, Ichiko.” Lala ordered. Ohya sighed and shrugged.

“Fiiine...” She sipped the water and looked over at the bewildered boy. The woman stopped and stared at Ren with an odd smirk as she began giggling. “Has anyone ever told you you look _juuust_ like Joker?”

Ren flinched and feigned a laugh. “Oh, yeah. I get that a lot.”

“Don’t mind her,” Lala said with a sigh, “she doesn’t have a filter at this point. You need me, I’ll be up front.”

With that, the barkeeper walked away. Ohya propped her head up with a hand. “Sooo... you want information?” She giggled. “What could the most recent portal survivor want to know?”

Ren visibly flinched. “How did you—“

Ohya laughed. “I’m a reporter— I investigate eeeveryone I find interesting. Imagine my surprise when I get a cold call from a boy claiming to be associated with THE Goro Akechi... and upon searching, I find out exactly who Ren Amamiya is?” She laughed out loud as Ren cringed back. “How could I pass up that meeting?” She beamed. “So... what do you want to know?”

Ren cleared his throat. “Who controls Shibuya.”

Ohya blinked. Her smile faded into open confusion. “Oh.” she said, no longer sounding nearly as drunk as she did moment’s ago. “Why that?”

“It’s for Akechi.” he said calmly. Ohya stared at him for a moment before scoffing.

“Then why isn’t the detective prince himself here asking me that instead of you?”

“He has a reputation, you know. He can’t be seen like this in public. So he asked me to do it; I’m not nearly as well known as him.”

“Hmm.” Ohya swirled her drink, eyeing him suspiciously. “That almost checks out... but he could have just as easily ordered me to a police station to talk. Come up with a better cover story next time, kid.” Ren grimaced, but she just smiled. “Luckily for you, I’m feeling generous, so I’ll tell you anyways... on one condition.” 

Ren cocked his head to the side. “What would that be?”

“Shujin Academy is in the news lately— a girl attempted suicide and was saved by a ghost, a teacher was arrested, by Phantom no less, and a dead principal who was probably covering it up. I want an interview with someone who had to survive under that pervert teacher— that one who got arrested by Phantom. It’d get some readership and some attention to the school that tried to cover it up. You’re a Shujin kid, right?” She smiled. “Do you know anyone who I could ask about that?”

The boy nodded. “Yes; several, actually. If you’ll help me, I’ll put you into contact with them.”

“Wonderful!” She beamed. “Thanks, kid. Now, don’t consider this up front payment, but...” Ohya took a long sip from her glass and spoke. “Junya Kaneshiro. I’m pretty sure he’s the one you’re looking for. Just know that I’m not responsible for whatever happens next!” 

“Yes!” he heard Morgana whisper excitedly. Ohya beamed and raised her glass.

“Lala-chan! How’s about another drink for me and the boy here?” she called. Ren shook his head.

“Oh, no, that’s okay— I need to run home. My guardians... parents will worry if I’m not home before curfew.”

Ohya stared at him for a moment, rolled her eyes, and scoffed. “You’re a strange one, kid.” She leaned against the table with an elbow, propping her head up. “Y’know, if it wasn’t for the fact you portal survivors are so damn cagey, I’d request an interview with you to ask about your experience with the portal accident and stuff.” She paused. “I have a feeling I already know the answer, but would you be willing?”

“No.” Ren said bluntly. The woman grumbled.

“I don’t know what I expected. Why are you people so secretive? No one has gotten an interview with any of you about that stuff, ever.” She nudged him and giggled. “Could you be hiding something?”

Ren picked up his bag and cleared his throat as he extracted himself from the booth. “Have a good night, Ohya-san. Thanks for your help. My friends Ryuji and Mishima should be in contact with you soon.”

Ohya snickered. “Ooh, I hit the mark, didn’t I? Fine. Guess I’ll let you run this time.” She winked. “See you around, ghost kid.” 

She laughed as Ren stiffened and walked away. He passed Lala, who was carrying a tray of drinks with one hand, on the way out by the archway into the back room. Lala just sighed and shook her head. “Don’t pay her any mind,” she reassured, “she messes with people she likes. I’ll have a word with her about teasing a kid, though.”

“No need.” Ren dismissed. “Thank you, ma’am. Have a good night.”

Lala frowned at him. “Wait, do you have a safe ride home? Trains will stop running soon...”

The boy smiled at her. “I do, but thank you. Good night.”

With that, he headed out, leaving Lala staring after him for a moment before sighing and continuing on her way to Ohya’s table.

* * *

Ren headed out and weaved his way through the crowd. The alleyway he had ducked into was occupied by people talking by the time he came out. He cursed to himself and began searching in vain for another place to hide.

After about fifteen minutes, the boy sighed and resigned himself to taking the train like a normal person. Morgana quipped that he had been using his powers all day, anyways, and had to be exhausted. He began heading out when a feminine voice rang out.

“— ‘Cuse me! The young man with the really curly black hair and a cat!” 

Ren jumped and turned to the source of the voice: a young woman no older than her early to mid twenties with long, blonde hair and a black headband around her head. She wore a long pink dress and sandals from where she sat at a pop-up table, upon which cards were strewn about. The woman nodded and forward.

“Yes, you! Can I speak with you?”

Ren waved a hand. “Sorry, I’m not interested in buying anything. Good luck.”

“Wait, I’m not going to ask you to buy something!” she insisted. “I’m getting a weird spread from my cards about you and I am insanely curious.”

Ren pursed his lips and stared at her for a moment. Morgana stared, too, flicking his tail back and forth. After a moment, Ren rolled his eyes and approached. “What are you talking about?” he questioned bluntly. “Who are you?”

“I’m Chihaya Mifune, fortune teller and... maiden of relief.” At his expression, she crossed her arms. “I can sense you’re a skeptic. I reiterate I’m not here to ask you to buy something, but I felt something odd about you, so I did a tarot spread and the most bizarre results I’ve ever seen came out.”

Though he thought her to be a charlatan, he decided to humor her out of curiosity. “How so?”

She gestured to the cards on the table. At Ren’s blank expression, she cleared her throat. “I drew the Fool, and... Death, but it’s in a really weird position. Like you’re sort of dead but also very much not dead. That and some sort of great change has occurred to you.” She smiled as Ren blanched. “You just really piqued my curiosity is all and wanted to ask about you, plus, I’m a little worried about you, given—”

_“Canttalkgottarunhomebye!” _

She blinked as he took off like a shot into the night, leaving her with the memory of his stark white face right before he absconded. After a moment, the woman turned back to her cards and spread them again— the same result. Dead but not dead and great change— a herald of change itself, a Fool on his journey.

“Strangest thing I ever did see,” she muttered to herself, voice carrying a twang, “I wonder if I’ll see him again...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TFW you have to write buildup to get to the good stuff. Oof.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please let me know in comments! I thrive off validation of my weird ideas.


End file.
